The Amethyst Shamans
by Nintendo Nut1
Summary: Threatened by Gruntilda, the priestess of an ancient, mystical tribe is sent to Banjo's side as a spy. But soon, a relationship begins to steadily grow between them, and Banjo learns a past he never knew he had...Completed at last! 8D
1. A Clever Revenge Plan

A/N: Wow. The writer's block is getting... way out of control.

Link: (runs out) MAYDAY!!! MAYDAY!!!!!

Writer's Block Monster: RARGH!!! (chasing him)

Banjo: Uh, Link... I think you need to request for backup.

Link: GOOD IDEA!!! (runs away)

Well, this'll take a while. So in the meantime, it's time for something different. After looking over the Banjo-Kazooie section, I decided that there needed to be more dramatic fics about the fabulous bear-and-bird duo we all know and love. :) And since I'm in B-K obsession mode and my writer's block won't be dealt it for some time, now would be the perfect time to update them! Yay! So, enjoy, friends!!

* * *

_My name is Banjo._

_Or, at least I thought it was._

_I thought I knew everything about myself._

_I lived peacefully with my sister and friend._

_But that all soon changed..._

* * *

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 1: A Clever Revenge Strategy

A young female bear skipped happily through the grassy fields of her home, Spiral Mountain. Her blonde pigtails bounced along as she approached a small, blue house. The door opened and from inside stepped out a female red-crested breegul, emerald green eyes fixed on the young bear.

"Hi, Kazooie! Is Banjo awake yet?"

"Hehe, nope. Sleeping like a rock!"

"But it's almost breakfast time! We should wake him up!"

"You just read my mind, Tooty."

Tooty giggled as they stepped inside their tiny, cozy home. The furniture was bathed in the golden light from outside the windows. The wooden cuckoo clock piped up as the tenth hour rang. And of course, a male adult bear was curled up in bed in a blue blanket, snoring away.

"Banjo! Wake up, silly!" Tooty tried to shake him awake, but he groaned sleepily, turning away and with a sleepy sigh, became silent once more.

Tooty huffed. "Banjo!"

"Here, lemme take care of it." Kazooie climbed atop his sleeping form, leaned an inch before his face, and let out a great, big...

"SQUAWK!!"

"ACK!! I'm awake, I'm awake!"

Tooty giggled loudly as Banjo pushed the bird away. He swung his legs and sat on the side of the bed, yawning and stretching his arms over his head. Tooty climbed onto his lap and smiled up at him.

"Hi, big brother!"

Banjo smiled. "Hey, sis," he greeted softly, hugging her close with one arm. He then looked over at a waiting Kazooie. "...What?"

She motioned towards the clock silently and irritably. Banjo glanced up at it, then grinned nervously at the girls.

"Whoops, I'm supposed to make you breakfast, huh?" Anxious nods were their response. "You should've gotten me up earlier if you were hungry!"

"Which is nearly impossible on a Saturday morning!" Kazooie retorted coolly.

"Alright, alright, enough of the wisecracks," Banjo chuckled in response, leaping off the bed and approaching the stove. "So, what're you girls in the mood for, eggs or toast?"

Kazooie cleared her throat loudly.

Banjo grinned. "Toast it is!"

"Yay!" Tooty cheered, rushing to the table, followed by Kazooie. It looked like another peaceful, normal morning.

----------

But not in Cauldron Keep.

The old, smelly witch Gruntilda glared hatefully into a green pool of slime at the image of that same trio. The same trio that had defeated and humiliated her twice now.

No one knows how on earth she got her slimy green skin back, more or less her head back on her shoulders. Her sisters were still left under crushing weights of the deadly Tower of Tragedy Quiz, and the furious Gruntilda had no intention of freeing them yet, since they promptly failed to beat that blasted bear.

But she didn't care in the least about those things at the moment. Only two things were on her mind now- getting beautiful and revenge.

She turned away spitefully from the cauldron and began thinking out loud.

"There has to be a way to beat that bumbling bear! There HAS TO!!" She pounded a fist angrily into the wall. "I have to get them outta the way before I can carry out any of my plans!"

Hearing laughter from deep within the bubbling pot, she turned back and leered into the steaming slime as they all ran playfully out the front door of their cottage. Tooty and Kazooie tackled Banjo onto the grass playfully, and they all laughed in glee as they wrestled and rolled through the flowers. Grunty scowled hatefully, angered by their happiness.

"Banjo, you filthy, ugly furball!" she growled deeply. "You'd stop at nothing to foil my plans! You're as annoying as a flea!" Her burning orange eyes narrowed into silts. "You have a weakness, I know you do! I just have to squeeze it out of you! But how!? HOW!?"

She kicked the cauldron angrily with her boot, and suddenly, the image of her mortal enemy faded into the image of a small, beautiful island. It was covered by vast forests and surrounded by sparkling waters. Grunty looked down at this island in interest, then grinned a most evil grin.

"Ah, yes! The island of Amethystar..." Gruntilda mused most evilly. "That will be perfect..."

A wicked plan was a-brewing in her mind, full of hatred and deception, all going towards the revenge of an innocent bear...

A/N: So, what do you guys think? Kewl, huh? Next chappie will be the debut of an original character! Yay!

Banjo: Who is it?

You'll have to wait like everyone else.

Kazooie: Aww... pooh...

Well, anyhoo, review, people! Tell me what you think of this so far, please!


	2. The Priestess of Amethystar

A/N: Hey, come on, guys! Why aren't you guys reading this fic!? I put a lot of thought and time into it... (eyes watering)

Banjo: Aw, you all are making her cry...

(bursts into tears, Banjo hugs and comforts her)

Kazooie: Right, then. You guys read this chappie and review or she'll be all sad like this for a while...

* * *

_"Muo kxo Jfahakj Wiato Ij."_

_"May the Spirits Guide Us."_

_-Ancient Amethystian Adage _

* * *

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 2: The Priestess of Amethystar 

Amethystar was one of the only pure islands left in the world. An ancient, mystical tribe who called themselves Amethystians made their home on this peaceful island. The Amethystians were a clan of bears with the ability to harness the mystical powers of ancient spirits. They lived solitude, gentle and non-confrontational. Their entire lifestyle was based on the teachings of the Ancient Spirits of the Moon.

Each family lived in small, wooden huts, with tiny windows to allow the fresh, spring air inside to calm their souls. But from the largest, most delicately carved hut, lavender smoke poured out of the windows.

Inside this particular hut, a beautiful, female Amethystian sat cross-legged in meditation, flanked by several burning incense. She had a youthful face, with smooth, peachy skin and chestnut brown fur. Short, hazelnut hair curved up at her shoulders, with small bangs drooping over her golden crown with a purple gem embedded within. She wore a purple and orange, leather, midriff top tied loosely in the middle. A gold plated belt studded with deep-colored jewels hung at her waist with blue flaps of leather hanging at the front and back. A sheath for her dagger was strapped around her upper leg, and she currently held the dagger in one of her elegant paws. Her tiny, delicate feet wore simple, lavender sandals, and she was decorated with more golden and purple jewelry. She was the priestess and leading shaman of the Amethystian Clan, deep in one of her many meditations. Not a lot could break her out if it when she was deep enough.

-_Kyra... Kyra, awaken!-_

Except for a spirit-call.

Eyes of shining sapphires gently opened as she turned to meet an elder Amethystian, wearing long robes and old age written clearly on his face and in his long, silver hair.

"Yes, Father?" she answered the call in a voice as sweet as the scent from the incense.

"Your presence is requested in another land, dear cub," the Elder responded, handing her an envelope with a shaky, arthritic paw. "Nothing else is given but the location, but I have a deep feeling you shall be gone for a time, so take any provisions you may need."

Kyra looked at the letter in an unsettling fashion, but ever respecting of her father, she nodded and stood, beginning to gather her things. As he silently left her alone, she looked once more at the letter, deeply disturbed by the name of the location she had to travel to.

Cauldron Keep, Isle o' Hags.

----------

After farewells from her beloved tribe, which she loved like a family, Kyra departed in a small boat northwards, carried by the southern winds. As the days passed through, Kyra remembered the last words spoken to her from her father:

"Do not be afraid of the unknown, my cub. Remember that the spirits are always there to guide you, even at times when you feel alone."

Reminding herself of these words of wisdom, she arrived at Isle o' Hags and followed the directions given in the letter, eventually reaching Cauldron Keep. The toxic fumes given off by the corrosive moat and spirits knew what else nearly choked her sensitive throat, but the drawbridge was open, waiting for her. So she cautiously stepped inside.

Inside this tower, strange contraptions and lights that Kyra could not comprehend surrounded her everywhere, unsettling her even more. When she reached the top room, she found an old, ugly witch with her humped back towards the priestess, glancing into what looked like a black kettle. Hearing the clacking of her sandals on the polished glass floor, the hag turned away from the pot and gave Kyra a grin that made her very afraid.

"..." Kyra found it difficult to speak. "...Y-you are the one who summoned me...?"

The witch chuckled deeply. "Yes, indeed! I have a deal to make with you, little lady, so you pay attention!"

Whatever it was, it was bad news. Kyra could feel it. But she nodded nonetheless. "Go on."

"Alright, c'mere," she urged, and Kyra stepped up to the pot's edge. "Look inside."

Kyra peered into the icky slime and saw the innocent scene of a family made up of two bears and a crimson bird, enjoying a morning in the sun.

"You see the older bear? The one in the yellow shorts?"

Kyra nodded slowly, looking closely at his faded image.

"He's been making a mess of my plans all the time, and I need to somehow get rid of him! The problem is, I haven't a clue what his weaknesses are!" The witch smirked at the girl. "That's where you come in."

Kyra looked up apprehensively at the witch.

"I need you to go to his side and learn his weaknesses, every one of them! I don't care how long it takes you, just do it!"

Kyra looked back into the cauldron at the older bear as he caught the younger one in a tight, loving embrace. He seemed so innocent... so kind...

Mustering up her courage, she responded, "And if I don't?"

The witch's eyes narrowed slightly out of spite, but remained calm as she approached a table holding more strange machines, and lifted one that looked like a thin blaster up, almost threateningly.

"These little babies are what I like to call my little B.R.Y.A.N.s. They have the power to reap anything of its youth and beauty, all that I intent to use in the beautification of yours truly. I have created enough for my entire army of minions, so if you choose not to cooperate..." She kicked the cauldron, and the image of Amethystar appeared. "...Then you can kiss your precious island goodbye!"

Kyra's eyes widened as her skin went pale. "You wouldn't...!"

That smirk on the witch's face only grew. "Oh, but I would! Cooperate, and I'll leave Amethystar alone! Do I make myself absolutely clear?"

Kyra lowered her gaze in defeat and despair, nodding reluctantly. "Fine... y-you've won..."

"Very well!" She put the B.R.Y.A.N. back down on the table, delighted by the agreement. "I'll set up your 'dramatic entrance...'" she drawled slyly, snickering as she left for her private chambers.

Kyra deeply sighed, looking back into the kettle at her blessed homeland. It was her duty to protect her home... no matter what...

A/N: You guys like Kyra?

Kazooie: Eh... so-so...

Banjo: (is drooling)...

Banjo, you weirdo! (slaps him) Anyhoo, I got a little game for you few readers out there! Now, like in Banjo-Tooie, where B.O.B. stood for "Big o' Blaster," B.R.Y.A.N. also stands for something related to its purpose. If you guys can guess what it stands for, I'll... I'll...um...

Kazooie: She'll give you a cookie!

Yeah... uh... well, a burnt one, anyway. I can't cook to save my life, so...

Banjo: In that case, she'll just mention you in one of the future chappies.

Yeah, that's it! That's what I'll do! So review, all you dudes and dudettes out there! Please!!!!!


	3. Love at First Sight

A/N: Thank you to all those who are reading and reviewing this story. Sorry, Crocgirl13, but your answer is incorrect. But, hey, just for trying, you get some of my Halloween candy!

Kazooie: (muttering) Lucky, lucky her.

Hush, you! After looking it over, I realized how tough it is to guess, so even incorrect guessers will get a neato prize.

Banjo: What if they guess correctly?

Well, then... We'll just improvise, I guess.

Banjo: Works for me!

Here's the chappie! YAY!!!

* * *

_It all started with her._

_Kyra looked so innocent, so beautiful..._

_It was love at first sight..._

_Little did I realize then..._

_That every rose has its thorns..._

* * *

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 3: Love at First Sight

It was a particularly calm afternoon as Banjo laid on his bed, listening to the radio as it played Soft, Smooth Rock endlessly. He lay comfortably, arms folded beneath his head and legs crossed. One foot rocked softly with the beat of the current song as one of his favorites started. And best of all, no one was around; the girls were outside playing. Just him and the soothing music.

Eventually he began mouthing the words to the song, then softly sang along. "Gimme the beat, boys, and free my soul, I wanna get lost in your rock n' roll and drift away..."

But his pleasures were rudely interrupted when the door slammed open and the squat form of Bottles the mole waddled in hysterically. "BANJO!!!"

The disgruntled bear quickly sat up, shut off the radio, and shot Bottles an irritated look. "Knock next time, won't ya!?"

"Sorry, sorry! But emergency!! Big ol' emergency!!!" he cried frantically, his stubby arms flapping up and down like a penguin's attempt at flying.

"What emergency? Bottles, you really need to calm down, 'cause we won't be getting anywhere with you hopping like a madman!"

Bottles took a deep breath and said in a still shaky voice, "Come outside, quick!"

Banjo hopped off the bed and quickly followed Bottles out the door. Still flustered about the whole situation, Banjo trudged alongside the mole.

"Bottles, this had better be imp...!!!" But looking ahead, he froze in both step and mid-sentence.

A few yards away, a gigantic, green... monster of some sort roared in anger, scaring away Tooty and Kazooie as they ran towards them, hiding behind Banjo in fear. As the monster steadily got closer, Banjo pushed them back, taking a few steps back himself as he looked up in horror.

"Whoa! Where the heck did THAT come from!?"

"From Isle o' Hags, where else!?" Bottles answered frantically.

Hearing a shrill scream, Banjo took a fearful look closer to see a female being held in the monster's mighty grip, screaming in terror as it growled in her face.

"She's in trouble!" Banjo exclaimed in realization, turning back to his bird partner. "Kazooie, we have to save her!"

"W-wha??" The breegul looked unbelievably at Banjo. "But Banjo, how're we gonna...?"

"No prob! A few Grenade Eggs between the eyes will take care of him," Banjo quickly answered. "You take care of that, I'll get the girl!"

Kazooie nodded, keeping her distance as Banjo rushed in fearlessly. She coughed up a few Grenade Eggs, and they slammed into the beast's face. Screeching in agony, the creature dropped the girl, clutching its burning face. With this, Banjo rushed in and caught the screaming girl in his strong arms.

Recovering from terror, Kyra looked up at this new being. A male brown bear much like her, but with a large snout and a slight frown. He had chestnut brown fur with long bangs hanging characteristically over his eyes... Aquatic blue eyes, big and beautiful, and full of concern as he looked her over. Though her side flashed in pain, though she was still terrified, she found peace and calmness in those eyes. Even stranger, she felt a funny feeling deep within her gut as she looked him over.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a deep, silky voice that sounded very sincere.

Kyra did not answer at first, somehow entranced by this youthful bear.

The magic was broken when he looked away as the monster shrieked in anger. Feeling his arm muscles tense up as he held her closer, Kyra braced herself as he rolled out of the monster's way as it tried to stomp them flat.

"Kazooie! One more Grenade Egg! Finish him off!" he called out to another.

One more blast exploded in its face. It snarled in frustration, then stormed away, disappearing into a hole in the cliff leading out of the area.

"Aw, yeah! Take that, ya big creep!" a harsh voice trilled.

"Is the girl okay?" asked another, timid voice.

"I dunno." He looked back down at Kyra. "Are you okay?" he asked once more.

Kyra didn't know what to say, her breath caught in her throat. As she felt another flash of pain, she reached over and grasped her side painfully, moaning. The monster had a very strong grip on her, stronger than she realized before.

"She's hurt!" he exclaimed. "Let's get her in the house!"

A few minutes later, Kyra found herself inside a small house, on a soft bed, with the being of her fascination at her side. With large, yet gentle paws, he carefully wrapped bandages around her abdomen, a calm look on his face. Kyra, strange at it may seem, felt comforted by his presence, but she couldn't say the same for the other beings who looked at her with curiosity. A cute female bear, a crimson bird, and a squat mole with large spectacles all bore into her with their curious stares. She shifted nervously.

"Who are you, miss?" the girl bear asked innocently.

Kyra didn't answer, dropping her gaze shyly.

"Isn't much of a talker, is she?" the mole commented.

"Hey, lay off the girl!" the older bear glared angrily. "She was just attacked, for Pete's sake!"

They quieted down, and he turned back to his gentle work. Kyra slightly raised her gaze up to look at him, then said very quietly, "...Kyra."

"Hmm?" he asked, not quite hearing her.

"Kyra," she said a little louder. "My name is Kyra."

"Kyra, hmm? That's a nice name," he complimented. He drew back his paws. "There, all done. It's not so bad, just a bit of bruising. You'll be fine in no time."

Seeing that comforting smile on his face, she smiled softly herself. "Thank you."

He nodded in response. "Oh, it's nothing. My name is Banjo. This is Bottles, Kazooie, and my sister Tooty." He gestured to each one, introducing them to the girl.

Kyra looked to each grinning figure and forced out a smile, then lowered her gaze shyly once again.

Ever understanding, Banjo grasped her elegant paw tenderly. "Listen, Kyra, you can rest here as long as you want. And if it ever gets too dangerous out there, you can come back here, alright?"

She looked from his paw grasping her own and traveled up his arm until she reached his eyes. Those entrancing eyes, full of comfort and kindness as he gave her a kind, trusting smile. He was so kind... so caring...

But another look at him, and Kyra knew this was the bear she had to spy on, the one that was the basis for her mission. And if she fails this mission...

But Banjo saved her live. The witch Gruntilda classified Banjo as a spiteful creature, but Kyra found that so hard to believe now. If anyone were a spiteful creature, it was that witch!

However, Kyra knew this was the only way to save her homeland. She had to stick with the original plan- gain his trust and break it back down again with betrayal.

So she finally returned the smile forcefully, trying her best to look friendly.

Kazooie was always fast at assuming things and accusing people, and suspicion of this Kyra was no exception. But the way Banjo was looking at her made Kazooie keep quiet. She might as well see how this turns out before she began accusing Kyra of anything. After all, she truthfully only wanted Banjo to be happy...

A/N: Ooh, well, well, Banjo, you've got a girlfriend now!

Banjo: (is blushing big time)

Kazooie: T.T; I still don't like her...

Well, deal. Anyways, review, people out there!


	4. Experimenting with Meditation

A/N: Thanksgiving is around the corner!

Kazooie: YAY!! LOTS A FOOD!!!

Banjo: YUM!! FOOOOOD!!!! 8)

XD For the holiday, I'm gonna give you guys an extra long chappie!

Banjo and Kazooie: T.T; Yay.

Here it is! :) Oh, and sorry, Cubie, but your guess is also incorrect. You got the "Youth" part right, though! (hint hint) Keep guessing you guys! Here's the chappie!

* * *

_Kyra was a mystical creature._

_And I wondered what it felt like_

_To have magic at your fingertips._

_I was very curious.

* * *

_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 4: Experimenting with Meditation

Kyra began getting used to Banjo's company the past few hours (Banjo had sent the others out, so they were alone), slowly beginning to reveal to him about her past and her tribe. He listened with open ears, becoming quite interested and fascinated the more and more she spoke about it.

"Wow, you're a shaman?" he asked, wonder flickering in those beautiful eyes of aquamarine.

"Yes," Kyra responded, sounding a lot less shy. She reached into her purple sheath on her leg and pulled out her dagger, completely carved from amethyst stone. "This is an amethyst dagger. In my tribe, we use it to carry out our magic."

Banjo looked at it, mystified. "Wow… I've seen shaman sticks and pools, but not daggers."

Kyra raised a brow slightly as she sheathed her knife. "Oh, so you've had experience with shaman magic?"

"Well, I'm no shaman myself, but I have a couple shaman friends," he explained, leaning back in his chair and chuckling to himself. "Actually, in our adventures, I've been the object of their magic, and they turned me into all kinds of animals and objects," he chuckled, knowing very well how strange that sounded.

But Kyra did not laugh, instead looking at him in interest. "Really? And you haven't had any side effects when you were transformed back?"

His face contorted in thought, then he shook his head. "Nope."

"And you don't use magic?"

"None at all."

Kyra looked at him with a new interest. Not noticing this, Banjo glanced up at the clock.

"Well, I'm gonna go check on the girls." He stood out of his chair and approached the front door. "I'll be back in a bit. You go ahead and catch up on some rest." And with that, he stepped out and gently shut the door behind him.

Kyra watched him leave, then began deliberating with herself. How could Banjo be immune to the side effects of magic? In her early teachings, she had learned that even a slight transformation could completely alter a being's behavior, unless they were magic users themselves. Was Banjo infused with a magical immunity? Or was there more to him than what appeared…?

Pondering this over, Kyra decided that Banjo might've been more mysterious than he seemed, and that a close analysis was crucial if she wanted to learn his weaknesses.

_Would an immunity to negative magic be a weakness?_ she thought briefly, then subconsciously answered her own question by shaking her head. _No, if anything, it'd be considered a strength!_

She felt tired and flustered from everything that had been happening since she left her island home. But sleep would not cure the tiredness she had. Only meditation would bring her to complete tranquility. She brought out her incense burner and her amethyst dagger…

----------

Banjo barely took two steps outside the door before he was confronted by the whole gang: Kazooie, Tooty, Bottles, Jamjars, Mumbo, and Wumba.

"…the heck are YOU all doing here!?"

Kazooie pointed an accusing wing at Tooty. "She blabbed!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"No, Bottles did!"

"Oh, yeah… He blabbed!"

"Shut your beak, chicken legs!"

Banjo trembled like a volcano and screamed, "SHUT UP!!"

Everyone instantly went quiet, and Banjo, realizing his sudden outburst, felt astounded as he looked at his group of friends.

"S-sorry, guys… I-I didn't mean to…"

"So, fuzzface," Jamjars rudely interrupted. "Who's this 'Kyra' these punks keep talkin' about?"

Mumbo grinned in glee. "Mumbo want to greet her!"

"…And we give her big heap welcome!" Wumba finished.

Banjo sighed, massaging his forehead and trying to keep calm. "Look, you guys, Kyra's still hurt from the monster's attack, and she's staying here until she recovers, that's all. When she gets better, then you can see her. It's just… she's really shy, and…"

"You sure that's the whole story?" Bottles commented, getting many snickers from most of the rest as Banjo's face turned red. He then glared dangerously.

"Hey, knock it off!" he scolded. "You guys are so immature!" His look softened slightly as he looked down at Tooty and Kazooie. "I'm gonna start on dinner. You two get the others home and come straight back."

"Hey, wait a dang minute!" Jamjars protested. "We don't need no escorts! What're you, our mom!?"

"Look, I'm doing it to be safe! That monster most likely came from Gruntilda, and if she's going to strike again, I don't want anyone else getting hurt, alright?"

The answer to this were a few more giggles and chuckles. Filled with annoyance, Banjo turned on his heel and slammed the door closed. Sighing deeply, he leaned against the door, slowly cooling down as he pushed his angry thoughts aside. Jeez, how immature could his friends get…?

These thoughts were soon pushed aside as his nose twitched, catching a whiff of a strange, sweet smell in the house. His gaze dropped down to the carpet where Kyra sat cross-legged on the floor, facing the brick fireplace. Two small sticks of burning incense sat beside her, emitting silky lavender smoke that twisted around the house, hovering close to the ceiling.

Carefully, as not to disturb her, Banjo crept across the floor, stepped over the incense, and squatted down in front of Kyra, looking on in curiosity as she sat there, eyes closed and elegant paw holding the dagger.

_Must be meditating,_ Banjo cleverly deducted, propping his chin in his paw as he watched her silently. His gaze soon rested upon the amethyst dagger, the mysterious weapon that was used in her magic. It was made of complete amethyst stone, with not a stainless steel blade, but a perfectly carved stone blade. How these people crafted it so perfectly, with the smooth blade and the sharp edges, was beyond him.

_So it's used for magic…_ he silently mused, slowly reaching for it. _I wonder… Could I…?_

But he immediately drew back his paw when the door creaked open and Tooty and Kazooie stepped inside. Banjo leaped to his feet, approaching the cupboards swiftly.

"Hey, Banjo," Kazooie greeted him casually. "Hey, sorry about that back there. You were right- those guys _were_ being immature!"

"Well, what can you do?" Banjo responded bluntly, placing a pot on the stove.

Tooty smiled in delight as she took a whiff of the air. "Ooh, it smells pretty in here!"

"That's Kyra's incense," Banjo explained, smiling down at her. "She's meditating at the moment, so let her be."

"Meditating? Weird…" Kazooie commented as looked closely at the completely still form of Kyra.

"She's a shaman, you see…"

"Ooh…" Tooty breathed dreamily.

The rest of the time was quiet as Banjo prepared the meal. The smell of his cooking mixed with the incense, and strangely, it smelled heavenly. Tooty and Kazooie sat patiently, averting their attention between Banjo and Kyra every so often.

When it was finished, Banjo instructed them to set the table while he attempted to wake Kyra from her trance. Carefully approaching her, he wondered at first how he would awaken her. Then, gently, he brushed back a bit of her hair and whispered quietly in her ear, "Kyra… Kyra, wake up! Dinner is ready."

Her eyes opened quickly as if awaking from a nightmare, and she looked up at Banjo mysteriously. "Banjo? Did you wake me?"

"Yeah," he admitted truthfully. "Sorry, but dinner's ready."

Understanding, Kyra nodded and put out her burning incense. As Banjo stepped away from her and began serving, she looked up at him uncertainly. Usually nothing could awake her so easily out of meditation, so how was he able to do so without even using a spirit-call? More mysteries had suddenly appeared, and Kyra decided it would take a while to learn the answers to the riddles within this bear.

But that was fine, she had all the time in the world…

----------

Dinner went by smoothly. Kyra opened up more to Tooty and Kazooie, telling them the same things she had told Banjo before. They seemed very interested, and this somehow made Kyra a lot less shy around her new friends.

Banjo noticed this right off the bat, happy that she was able to get along with them so well. The friendliness he had offered her earlier must've helped boost her confidence, and he was glad for it.

But now as the tenth hour struck quietly and everyone was asleep, Banjo sat at the end of the bed with something else on his mind. He looked over at the nightstand that held Kyra's few belongings, mainly at the dagger. He was still thinking about earlier, with that magical dagger and how it would feel to have the magic at his disposal.

Finally, curiosity took over, and he reached in and carefully pulled out the amethyst dagger, looking it over thoughtfully. He didn't know how, but he could _feel_ the magical energy within the spiritual weapon.

Banjo began thinking carefully. He couldn't use the incense, since he practically couldn't light a fire without burning himself in the process. Besides, the beautiful smell would probably awaken the others. He had to find something else to get him in the mood.

His gaze then rested upon his CD player, and his brain clicked in realization. As quietly as possible, he opened a cabinet and brought out a certain CD from the rack. Placing it into the CD player and the headphones on his ears, he got in position on the carpeted floor, crossing his legs with somewhat difficulty. He then held the mystical dagger in his paw and pressed PLAY.

As the Soft Rock music he loved so much began to play, he slowly turned up the volume, but not loud enough that the others could hear. He then gently shut his eyes and his mind automatically unfocused into a comforting state of deep blackness…

_He was alone, but not afraid._

_It wasn't like sleep, not at all._

_Like a way of escape from reality._

_Blissful tranquility filled the deep recesses of his mind._

_His cares slipped away._

_His thoughts melded together into a pool of emptiness._

_He felt as if his soul had fled from the restrictions of his body._

_His spirit floated on through the sheer nothingness…_

_And he felt truly free._

----------

Banjo woke quite some time later when the music stopped abruptly. Confused, he looked down at the CD player, realizing the batteries had run out.

He blinked in confusion as he looked down at the amethyst dagger, still in his paw. He looked up at the clock. It was almost six in the morning.

_Wow, I was gone THAT long?_ he thought fleetingly. The others were still asleep, but as the sun began to rise outside, he knew they would be waking up pretty soon.

Calmly, he stood and slipped the dagger back in its place, looking as if it was never touched. He sighed in contentment as he looked over at his sleeping companions; precious Tooty sleeping in her tiny bed, Kazooie dangling in her blue backpack that hung on the hat rack, Kyra laying elegantly in the larger bed, clutching the blankets tightly. A heartwarming smile spread across his face as he felt strangely cheerful for such an early hour in the morning. Was it, perhaps, that the meditation had calmed his spirit? Yes, it had to be.

Wordlessly searching in the food cabinets, he realized he had to go out for a few things before he could make breakfast. Leaving a note where they could find it, Banjo left with a cheerful and optimistic air about him.

A/N: So? So? SO?

Banjo: It was… interesting…

Kazooie: Okay, I guess…

(whacks them both upside the head) Anyways, when December comes around, I'm gonna start posting up another Christmas special. I've got good feelings about this one.

Banjo and Kazooie: (puppy eyes)

No, you do not star in it!

Banjo and Kazooie: Darn…

So look out for it soon! And I PROMISE I'll get to ROTHOT ASAP, when I finish these two fics, comprende? Review, people!! 8D


	5. A Simple Request

A/N: Okay, time to keep the fic rolling. Yeah! WOO!!

Banjo: (is playing PS2) You do that.

Kazooie: (is watching him) Yeah, whatever.

Hey, is that the new Crash Bandicoot game?

Banjo: Yep, Crash Twinsanity.

Kazooie: (bursts out laughing) Crash is riding Cortex like a snowboard! XD

XD Yeah, that's a kick-butt game. Well, anyways, here's the chappie!

_I didn't know what that meditation did to me,_

_But I wanted more. _

_I craved for more magic._

_I had to ask her…_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 5: A Small Request

Banjo strolled through Jinjo Village with a bag of groceries in his paw. He didn't care in the least that it was raining. He thought positively, knowing the rain would only help plants grow and clean the air. He took a few breaths of the fresh, clean air in content.

"Hey, Banjo!"

The bear turned to find Bottles, Mumbo, and Wumba all huddled underneath a large umbrella. He flashed them a good-natured smile.

"Hey, guys!" he greeted cheerfully.

"What crazy Banjo doing in rain!?" Mumbo cried.

Banjo looked up as if just noticing the drenching rain. He shrugged casually. "Just out running some errands."

"Oh…"

"Bear could get big heap sick!" Wumba exclaimed in concern.

"I'll be alright. What'd you think all this fur was for, anyway?"

Bottles looked at him like he had grown another head. "Right. Anyway, we were just gonna apologize for yesterday…"

"Don't think nothing about it," Banjo waved a careless paw. "It's in the past, don't worry about it!"

"Uh… okay…" Bottles responded uncertainly. "If you say so…"

"You guys can meet Kyra later tonight," Banjo said as he started his stroll. "I'll see you guys then!"

The three watched him go oddly, then exchanged hesitant glances.

"Banjo acting very strange…"

"Mumbo right. Big heap strange…"

"Something really weird is going on…"

----------

Banjo promptly returned that morning with his groceries in hand: a carton of eggs, a loaf of bread, a couple sticks of butter, and a pack of batteries.

After breakfast, the rain stopped, much to everyone's delight. Tooty and Kazooie went outside to play, slipping around in the damp grass in glee. Kyra stood at the doorway and watched in amusement, that is, until a paw gently placed itself on her shoulder. She turned and looked down at Banjo (who was noticeably shorter than she was).

"Kyra?" he asked softly. "I…need to ask you something…"

She nodded and followed him back inside the house. They sat down together on the bed and looked carefully at each other for a while until Banjo cleared his throat.

"Th-this may sound a little strange, but…" he started nervously. "… I was wondering… Is it possible to… y'know…"

"Yes?" Kyra sat very patiently.

Banjo gulped and mustered up his courage. "Could you teach me a few of your magic abilities?"

Kyra's immediate reaction was one of shock, causing Banjo to flinch and lower his gaze in embarrassment.

"N-never mind, I shouldn't have asked…"

"Why do you wish to learn my powers?" asked Kyra, honestly curious.

Banjo bit his lower lip, then answered, "Well, I… was exposed to a lot of magic before… And now that I thought about it, I… was curious as to… how it felt to actually _use_ it…"

He expected her to be offended or angry, but she smiled softly, and asked of him, "Do you know of a 'spirit-call?'"

Banjo looked back up at her and shook his head.

"It's the ability to speak to each other through our minds," she explained.

Banjo nodded in understanding. "Oh, like telepathy?" When given a puzzled look he continued, "Y'know, the sending of messages from one mind to another, without actually talking?"

"Oh, yes, yes! That's the idea!" They both chuckled lightly before Kyra went on. "Well… If we move to the right environment, I can give you the ability to use spirit-call."

Banjo's face brightened as he nodded eagerly. "That'd be great! Thank you!"

Kyra nodded as she stood and began to gather the things she needed. "The environment we need is one of peace, tranquility, and isolation. A place where nothing can disturb us."

Banjo thought for a moment, then grinned and realization. "I know of a place!" He took her by the paw. "Come on, I'll lead you there!"

And with that, they stepped outside into the clean, fresh, late morning. Before embarking to their destination, they approached Tooty and Kazooie.

"Hey, girls!" Banjo called out. "Kyra and I'll be out for a bit. Tooty, you be good for Kazooie, alright?"

"Okay," Tooty responded, knowing very well that whenever Banjo stepped out, Kazooie was in charge of the household.

"Where're you going?" Kazooie asked skeptically.

"Out," Banjo simply responded. "We'll see you later!"

Kazooie watched them go through the entrance to the rest of Isle o' Hags suspiciously. But her look softened when she noticed the happy look on Banjo's face and their comfortingly-entwined paws as they strolled along. Kazooie had never seen Banjo this truly happy before, and it looked as if Kyra was the cause.

Still, Kyra looked awfully suspicious. She never wanted to say anything, not wanting to spoil Banjo's new-found happiness, but still, someone had to talk to him. Kazooie then decided that she had to have a talk with Banjo when they came back. A _serious_ talk.

----------

Gruntilda turned one of the many B.R.Y.A.N.s over in her warty hands in boredom. Sighing in frustration, she stood and approached the cauldron once again.

"I wonder if that lady's doing her work…" she grumbled, looking into the slime. Hearing her coarse words, the goop rippled until an image of Banjo and Kyra traveling through Isle o' Hags appeared.

"Huh? Where the heck are they going!?" The response was their soft voices echoing from within the pot.

"Where are we going, Banjo?"

"Where you said before: a place of peace and isolation!"

"But where is that?"

"You'll see! Trust me, you'll love it! And no one will be able to find us! It'll be perfect!"

Gruntilda grinned wildly at this, cackling. "Ah, yes, perfect! She's leading him away! That'll give me the chance to attack the rest of those mangy animals!" She turned away from the steaming slime and called out, "Oh, KLUUUUNGOOO!!!"

Grunty's right-hand minion staggered in, holding an ice pack to his poor, abused face. "Yesssssssss, Misssssssstresssssssss?" he moaned.

"Get ready to drink some more of that potion, 'cause you're going out again!" she ordered haughtily.

"Aw, but Missssssstresssssssssss!" he cried. "Bird'sssssss blasssssssting eggssssss hurt poor Klungo'ssssssss face!"

"Suck it up!" Grunty snapped viciously. "Now's the perfect chance for your revenge on that stupid bird! Think of it that way!"

Klungo thought about that for a long time, than grinned. "Oh, you're right, Misssssstressssssssssss! Thank you, Missssss…"

"Yes, yes, just go!"

----------

"Down there?"

"Yep!" Banjo grinned as they stood on the rocky, jutting platform that stuck out into Jolly Roger's Lagoon.

Kyra looked into the sparkling waters, glancing below and beyond the surface. "It looks so deep…"

"Not a problem! Mumbo Jumbo cast his Sunlight spell on it not too long ago and oxygenated the water, so we can breathe underwater here!" Banjo explained.

Kyra looked up at him in wonder. "Really? That's amazing!"

"Come on!" he beckoned, then took a running dive and splashed into the water. Once under the surface, he turned and flashed her a smile, gesturing her to jump in herself.

Hesitantly, Kyra swallowed nervously, then tightly closed her eyes and leaped as gracefully as a deer into the water. Once under the surface, she refused to open her eyes or release her breath, fearful of drowning. She then felt a pair of paws grasp her not too tightly at the waist, and from within the heavy ripples of sound that echoed in her eardrums, she could hear Banjo's voice in a soft, echoing tone.

"Go on, Kyra, don't be afraid."

Slowly, she cracked her eyes open and let out the breath she was holding. Looking around, she could see the fish swimming by, and the sun created a kaleidoscope of light from the surface of the water beaming down on them. Banjo was at her side, a smile on his face and his fur and clothes floating wildly in the churning waters. She herself felt her own fur, hair, and attire hovering gently in the waters.

"See? Pretty neat, isn't it?" Banjo spoke again, his voice echoing in the water's waves.

Kyra didn't answer, feeling the joyous beauty around her. "It's…incredible…"

Banjo grinned in glee. "Come on, follow me."

He kicked his feet and swung his arms in large strokes as he swam downwards into the deep underwater cavern below with Kyra following. They swam until they reached the sea floor, bathed in soft sand and algae green stone. This alone looked incredible to Kyra, but it was nothing compared to what was on the other side of the tunnel they swam through. At the end of it, she froze as she gazed in wonder at this new place.

A magnificent aquatic realm lay out before them in the form of an ancient submerged city. Many of the buildings were somewhat preserved in the rock, parts of their marble formations worn away, and in their place were a few spots of colorful coral. Statues and pictographs of fishes and mermaids were scattered around, laying out the ancient ruin of a once great civilization.

"This… is Atlantis," Banjo said with a smile, looking over at Kyra, who simply looked on in amazement.

"It's…beautiful…" she whispered softly.

He gently took her by the paw. "Come on, this way."

After swimming into one of the mighty structures' entrance, they emerged inside where it was dry. Much of the foundation had worn away into dusty, crumbling rocks, held together by seaweed.

"This is what's called the Ancient Swimming Baths," Banjo explained as they climbed the small flight of stairs up to a higher level. "No one will bother us here."

Kyra smiled. "It's perfect."

A few minutes later, the two were sitting apart from each other on the stone ground, and a few incense burners lay beside them, their silver smoke twisting and curling around them gently.

Banjo's acute sense of smell caught something interesting in the smoke. "This is a different scent than the one you used before."

"Different kinds of incense are used for different purposes," Kyra explained as she lit the last one. "The one I used before, named Night Spell, is the kind I use for meditation. This kind, named White Jasmine, is used for special purposes."

Banjo nodded slowly in understanding as he settled into the cross-legged position. He looked up expectantly at Kyra, waiting to be instructed on what to do next.

Kyra sat in the same position and looked up at him softly. "Now we shall begin. Let your mind unfocus and open the door to its deepest corners. From then on, I shall take care of the rest. Do you understand?"

Banjo slowly, almost hesitantly nodded, sort of knowing what she meant from slight experience, but still quite baffled. Either way, it wouldn't be too complicated…

With that, Kyra placed her gentle fingertips on his brow, burying them underneath his thick locks of fur. With this connection, both passed into a spiritual trance, and thus it began…

A/N: Dang… this chapter is freaking long…

Banjo: (still playing) Your loss. O.O; WHAT!? GAME OVER!?!?

Kazooie: XD

Okay, anyway, sorry about the lack of updates. My computer's internet connection is so screwed up, I'm updating this chappie from the school computer.:( So yeah, this is the way I'm gonna update things for a while. I'm just glad my Speech class lets me use the computer at lunch! XD Review, people!


	6. A Deadly Attack

A/N: Hey, guys! I'm BAAAAACCKKKK!!!!!

Kazooie: It's about freaking time!

Hehe… sorry. It's the new year, so it's time for a new chapter!!

Banjo: Yay! Start it! START IT!!

Okay! Alright!! Here it is.

* * *

_Well, it worked._

_I gained the power of the spirit-call._

_But little did we know what was happening back home…

* * *

_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 6: A Deadly Attack

The longer they were gone, the more suspicious Kazooie grew. Though she continued to play around with Tooty, deep inside she was wondering what the heck those two were doing.

Soon, from within the entrance to Isle o' Hags, their group of friends- Bottles, Jamjars, Mumbo, and Wumba- approached the two.

"Hey, birdbrain!" Jamjars called out. "Where's Banjo?"

Kazooie huffed unladylike in annoyance. "He went out. What's it to ya!?"

"Er, Kazooie," Bottles started. "Haven't you noticed that Banjo's been acting a little… odd?"

"So? What's your point, wormmuncher!?"

"We want talk with him!" Mumbo replied, getting annoyed.

"We worried!" Wumba added.

"Speak for yourselves…" Jamjars grumbled.

"Everything's fine!" Tooty piped up. "He's just happy that Kyra's here!"

"Yeah, so back off!" Kazooie added harshly. Truthfully, she was worried herself, but that didn't mean everyone else on the planet had to butt in.

Bottles stood in a defiant pose. "Hey, you can't just tell us off! We have the right to worry about Banjo!"

"I didn't say that!" Kazooie retorted. "I said to lay off him and let him be happy! Jeez!"

Before anyone could come back with a retort, a boom echoed across the Spiral Mountain, rocking the ground violently. Everyone fell off their feet as the soil beneath them shook. As a large shadow fell over them, they glanced up in horror.

"Oh, no…" Kazooie whispered in reluctance.

----------

_This world was strangely familiar._

_Like the world he encountered before,_

_But filled with bright, comforting flickers of light_

_That twinkled like stars._

_He could feel her presence, deep within, _

_But he didn't care._

_He simply enjoyed once more the feeling of absolute peace and tranquility…_

_………But suddenly…_

_…He could hear voices…_

_Soft, silky voices that melded into one dull roar._

_Voices… that whispered softly to him…_

_Talmar… Talmar, they said mystically._

_It sounded as if they were whispering a name._

_But…Who was Talmar?_

_He never heard that name before._

_Yet it sounded somehow…familiar…_

_Like a bird awakening after the long winter cold._

_Left truly baffled, he awakened…_

----------

As Kyra lifted her fingers from his brow, Banjo awoke from his trance, slowly opening his aquatic blue eyes and coming back into reality. Blinking a few times to get rid of the blurriness, he looked at Kyra, a smile on her face.

-_I believe it worked.-_

Banjo blinked, slightly surprised as he could swear he heard her voice in his head, for she didn't open her mouth.

-_Can you hear me, Banjo?-_

_-…Yes, I can…-_ His voice brightened in realization. -_I can! It worked!!-_

The two laughed in joy, glad that the process had been successful. As they quieted down and Kyra began putting away her incense, she looked up at Banjo in concern as he sat quietly in deep thought.

_-Is something the matter?-_ Kyra asked.

Banjo sighed, staring down at the dusty ground. -_I…could've sworn I heard voices during the whole thing…-_

_-Voices?-_

_-Yeah…they…!!!-_ But he didn't finish that thought as the ground below his behind opened up. Surprised, he stood quickly and looked down to find sharp mole claws digging up the ground. From within out popped…

"Jamjars!" Banjo exclaimed. "What the heck are YOU doing here!?"

The sergeant mole glared up at Banjo through his sunglasses. "I could ask YOU the same thing, furball!" He turned his attention to Kyra. "And who's she!?"

Sighing, Banjo gently grasped her by the paw. "Kyra and I were…well…it's none of your business what we were doing!"

"And I ain't planning on _makin'_ it my business!" Jamjars retorted callously. "The point is, you ain't back at Spiral Mountain, and that blasted monster's back! And he's twice as nasty as before!"

Hearing this, Banjo's expression grew serious. "We'll hurry back as fast as we can!"

But as they began their descent down the stairs… "No, wait!" They turned back as Jamjars motioned them to follow him. "It'll be dumb to take the long way around! Follow me!"

----------

After crawling through many organized tunnels, the trio emerged from the deep, dark underground back in Spiral Mountain. As the shaking and thundering tremors from above became noticeable, Jamjars popped out, followed by Kyra, and finally Banjo. He squeezed through the tiny hole, looking up at a paralyzed Kyra. Joining her side, he too stood in shock as he looked up in horror.

They could tell it was the same monster from before, but it seemed to have grown twice as large and twice as vicious. It snapped at all the beings around it as they quickly dodged every attempt of a stomp or a claw swipe or a bite with its nasty, sharp teeth.

Upon noticing the bears' arrival, the gang scattered, and after a mess of mad dashing and dodging, they eventually reached the trio that had just arrived.

Tooty threw her arms around her brother's waist, greatly frightened. "Banjo!!" she cried. "The monster's back! Do something!"

Fearfully, Banjo looked back up at the monster, just as he saw a red blur plant itself like a parasite on its face. The beast snarled in anger, grabbing the pest with its claws and hurtling it towards them. The figure fell to the ground and tumbled on until it stopped at Banjo's feet.

"Kazooie!!" Banjo cried, kneeling beside her and looking over her worriedly. She was covered in many bruises and injuries, and glared up at her partner through a black eye.

"Well, it's about TIME you showed up!" she scoffed, coughing.

"Kazooie, are you insane!? You're getting creamed out there!"

"Hey, I was trying to weaken it while we waiting on your lazy butt!"

The brute screeched again, making the situation that much more urgent. "Alright, alright, fine! That was my fault, but it doesn't matter now! Just climb in, and we'll take care of this creep once and for all!"

"Alright! Now you're talking MY language!" Kazooie trilled in glee as she leaped into the backpack, readying herself for battle.

Kyra watched as the duo rushed in to engage in battle with the ruthless creep. She knew ruefully that the creature certainly came from the witch, Gruntilda. Since the priestess had conveniently led Banjo away, the old hag probably sent it in for a sneak attack. Guilt lay heavily on Kyra, through no one noticed or knew.

But as she watched Banjo and Kazooie failing to successfully land any hits on the beast, determination rose up most strongly in Kyra at the moment. Her friends needed help, and so she drew her amethyst dagger out and prepared to attack.

Banjo was knocked to the ground once more by the monster, reeling in pain. He didn't look all that bad, but Kazooie looked much worse. Beaten and bruised badly, she leaned over Banjo's shoulder, groaning in pain.

"Are you okay, Kazooie?"

"Just peachy…" she complained.

"Looks like it wants revenge on you for driving it off last time," Banjo deducted, jumping to his feet a it attempted to stomp them flat as a pancake. "Cause it looks pretty mad at you!"

Suddenly, a blast of purple light slammed into the side of the monster's face. Everyone turned to see Kyra pointing the dagger up at it, the tip glowing brightly.

_-Kyra…?-_

She gave him a stern look. -_I shall distract him! Hurry!-_

Banjo nodded and rushed in as more beams of purple light came from the tip of her amethyst dagger, striking the beast with hot energy. It shrieked in pain, and with a pain-crazed taste for revenge, blindly swung a humungous claw in a wide, killer arc.

The claw struck both bears and they were sent back swiftly by the extreme force of the blow. The dagger flew from Kyra's paw and buried itself point-first into the earth below. Banjo was sent flying into the wall back-first, then dropping down into the damp grass. He gasped as he felt the force of the impact shoot up and down his spine, but then in realization as he felt a wing droop over his shoulder.

"_Kazooie!!!_" Hastily, he removed his backpack and held an unconscious Kazooie in his arms. The impact against the wall would've most likely crushed her delicate body as she laid unnaturally limp. "_KAZOOIE!!!!_" Banjo cried, tears threatening to leak out as he began to fear the worst.

A snarl drew his attention back to the monster, and fear transformed into anger. Thinking quickly and noticing the dagger planted in the ground, he gently laid Kazooie on the ground and rushed towards the monster, pulling the dagger up as he passed by it. He stopped when he stood in the center of its luminous shadow.

It sneered disgustedly down at him, growling deeply and dangerously. Banjo returned the glare hatefully, his lips curling back in a snarl. This freak of nature hurt his friend, and it was going to pay.

As Kyra recovered, she looked up in shock and amazement as a swift-moving Banjo avoided the brute's attacks and countered with a round of blasts from the dagger. How on earth was he able to do that!?

The fiend reeled and stepped back at the force of the limitless blasts coming from below. Banjo stood his ground, his arm trembling violently from the force exerted from his own paws. Finally, when the villain collapsed from abuse, Banjo let the power go, regarding it unemotionally as it mysteriously disappeared out of thin air.

Silence followed. Complete silence. Banjo stood perfectly still for a few moments, ever gripping the amethyst dagger tightly. Then suddenly, he cried out in pain, clutching his paw painfully, and the dagger dropped from his grip, sizzling.

Kyra rushed to his side, looking over his injured paw in shock when she found it to be burned badly around the palm and lower parts of the fingers. She retrieved her dagger, which felt strangely warm.

She looked back at Banjo uncertainly as he winced in pain. It truly baffled her how someone like him could ever harness the power of the amethyst dagger when he was never exposed to them before. It took her years to develop her own skills with it, yet he learned in only a desperate split-second. But how? How was he able to let alone grasp the concept of magic? Did _he_ even know?

He looked at his injury in slight shock, then up at Kyra questioningly. -_Kyra… What happened…?-_

That at least she could answer. -_Amethyst daggers respond to its wielder's strongest emotions. It may sometimes react negatively to anger or hatred, thus it singed your paw as a reaction.-_

Banjo sighed, glancing painfully back down at his burns.

"Banjo!!" Bottles called out frantically to him. "Kazooie's heavily injured! We can't tell how bad!"

Remembering this, Banjo grew worried. "Get her in the house, quickly!" he ordered hastily, rushing over to help them carry the injured bird inside.

Kyra stood hesitant for a moment more, then sheathed her dagger and went in to help as well. The puzzles surrounding Banjo would have to be settled later, for the breegul's life was much more important.

A/N: GASP!! OH NO!!! Ehehe… um… Nothing against you, Kazooie…

Kazooie: Why are you making me DIE!?!?

MEEP!! (cowering) Y-you're not gonna die! Honest!!!

Kazooie: I BETTER not…

Banjo: Oh, calm down, Kazooie, you're scaring the authoress.

Kazooie: (grinning) I know, huh? BOO!!

AAAAAAHHHHH!!!! (runs away screaming)

Banjo: Nice going, Kazooie. You scared her off.

Kazooie: Hehe…

Banjo: Well, anyway, review, readers out there.


	7. Strength of a Friend's Hope

A/N: Yo, homies!! I'm BAAAAAAACK!!!! (does a little dance)

Banjo: O.o ??

Kazooie: She is so weird.

Sorry I got put off. AAHHH!!!! FINALS!!!

Banjo: Moving right along…

Chappie Time!

* * *

_My mission was crystal clear._

_Find the creature to save my dying partner._

_Easier said than done, but it was our only hope. _

_The only way Kazooie had a chance of surviving._

_It was up to me and Kyra now.

* * *

_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 7: Strength of a Friend's Hope

A solemn, sad silence filled the family's home. As Kyra bandaged his injured paw, Banjo sat quiet in deep thought, not even wanting to look at his heavily injured partner. Kazooie laid in the bed with many bandages and a pale face as the others examined her over. Tooty hugged her brother's waist in comfort, as she knew he needed a lot of it.

Out of the corner of his eye, Banjo could see Bottles step back and shake his head ruefully. The bear fearfully asked, "…How is she?"

"Not so good," Bottles answered. "She's sustained heavy injuries. I'm not sure she's going to make it…"

Silence once more.

"…Grunty send in monster, didn't she?" Wumba asked softly.

"Wumba right! She must pay!" Mumbo said angrily.

Banjo then spoke up heavily. "We'll worry about that ugly hag later. Right now, we have to find a way to help Kazooie."

"Weren't you listening!?" Jamjars snapped. "It's too late to save her now!"

"No it's not!" Banjo shot up angrily from his chair. "There has to be a way to save her! There has to! It's my fault this happened in the first place, and I'm going to fix what I screwed up!"

At this statement, Kyra, currently not being noticed, flinched and swallowed a nervous lump in her throat. No, this wasn't his fault. If anyone, it was hers! Before she could muster up the courage to speak up, Banjo turned to sternly look at his bony shaman friend.

"Mumbo, can't you use your magic to heal her?" he asked desperately. "I remember using that Heal spell…"

Mumbo seemed to shrink apprehensively at that question. "M-Mumbo can, but… need Glowbo creature first…"

Banjo sank down to his chair in despair, holding his head in withdrawn yet complete frustration and sorrow.

Kyra looked at him in pity. Somehow seeing him in pain and suffering caused her pain as well, as her own tears threatened to leak out. She then looked over at the unconscious breegul. As a result of what Banjo mistook as his own mistake, Kazooie was borderline dead. Guilt plagued Kyra deeply, her knowing that she wouldn't be able to live knowing her mistakes led to the death of a being she barely knew. She had to help somehow, and with her mind made up, she stood and placed a comforting hand on Banjo's shoulder. He looked up at her with watery, confused eyes.

"I can help," she said softly. "I can detect magic creatures like these 'Glowbos' you speak of, making our search that much easier."

Hope shined in bear's eyes again as he smiled up at her brightly.

"But Glowbos are extremely rare!" Jamjars exclaimed. "It'd be a miracle if you ever found one!"

"But we have to try!" Banjo stood once again, more confident. "Kyra and I will start searching right away! You all watch over Kazooie while we're gone." He turned to Kyra. "Let's go."

Kyra nodded and approached the door first. Before Banjo could follow, Tooty held him back with a tight hug.

"Good luck, Banjo."

Banjo knelt down and embraced her back, then approached the side of the bed, placing his bandaged paw gently on the side of Kazooie's beak, looking at her with soft, yet determined eyes.

"Stay strong, Kazooie, for me. I'll find that Glowbo no matter what it takes. I promise."

----------

Banjo and Kyra traveled through Isle o' Hags together, Kyra intently searching with her magic feeling and Banjo keeping himself busy with his own thoughts. Their stroll was quiet for a long time.

After a while, Banjo looked over at Kyra. "Find anything yet?"

"No, I'm sorry…"

"Keep trying," he said patiently, looking back ahead of him.

Still searching, Kyra looked silently at her companion in deep thought. He carried on with a determined fell, and though there was a small frown on his face, hope shined clearly in those aquatic eyes. Though he was on a journey alone, without his partner and instead with a person he didn't know he shouldn't be trusting, one thing drove him on- the hope that everything would turn out alright in the end.

There was still the mysteries of magic surrounding Banjo, but Kyra decided that she'd figure them out later. Right now, the silence was a little unsettling, so she asked of him softly, "How did you and Kazooie first meet?"

Banjo's stroll stopped abruptly as a pained look crossed over his face. This reaction worried Kyra, as she though she had made another mistake.

"I'm sorry, I must've asked you a personal question…Y-you don't have to answer that…"

But she stopped when she locked eyes with him, and he spoke softly, "It's alright. It's a long story, but I'm willing to tell it if you're willing to listen."

Kyra nodded. Banjo began the tale, a hint of nostalgia reflected in those eyes of aquamarine as the memories came slowly back to him.

"It was shortly after my parents died… They were attacked by a rabid wolf while Tooty and I were away… and with Tooty being only an infant… I was left with raising her alone…" He paused briefly, letting out a heavy breath, then continued. "I went out and saw that same exact wolf harassing a red crested breegul. She was fast, but it got to her and assaulted her, and… I don't know what came over me then, but… I leaped on it, and… well, I had never killed anything before…" He stopped, his brows knotted in concern.

Kyra understood, leaving it at that. "So you took her in?"

"Yeah, she wasn't hurt that badly, but enough that she wouldn't survive on her own… And I told her the same thing I told you, that she could stay in out home as long as she wanted… And, well, she never left."

"…But why?"

Banjo shrugged. "Dunno. Shortly after was out first adventure together, saving Tooty from Gruntilda. I guess we kinda… got really close to each other during that time to the point where we became inseparable… And from that point on, I vowed to always protect to the best of my ability the ones dearest to me… Because I didn't want to lose anyone else ever again… The pain would just be unbearable…"

He sighed deeply, signifying the end of his story. Kyra was left with feelings of pity and sudden admiration for him, for Banjo was probably the most honest, sincere, and greatest friend a being could ever have.

"…Kazooie is very lucky," she finally spoke. "To have a friend like you who she can trust her life upon." The guilt began to pile up again when she said this.

A smile broke over his face like a wave. "Yeah, it's great to have a sort of feeling that there's someone you can always look to when you've got no one else…" he said with a tinge of sadness.

"What about you?"

"Hey, I can trust Kazooie," he chuckled. "She's got her attitude issues, but other than that, she's a great friend." He then flashed Kyra a friendly smile. "And now I have you."

Kyra gulped softly and forced out a smile in response. When he turned back ahead, Kyra let out a soft but nervous breath as the guilt laying on her shoulders became unbearable, and then…

"…I feel something…"

Banjo turned back to her once again in confusion. "Huh? You man a magic feeling?"

"Yes!" She pointed ahead. "That way!"

By now, they had reached the Wasteland area of Isle o' Hags, and she was pointing at a blue crack in the cliff wall. Banjo knew exactly where that led.

"Right, then. Come on," Banjo led the way through the crack, and it led to a colorful platform with a single giant bubble resting on the dimple ground.

Kyra looked at it curiously. "A bubble…?"

"We need to jump into it to be carried up into the sky to a place called Cloud Cuckooland. I know it doesn't make any sense, but neither does anything else up there."

The two chuckled briefly, then they held paws and leaped into the bubble. As they were held suspended inside the translucent sphere, Kyra peered outside and witnessed in wonder as they floated upwards into the clouds.

A/N: So? So?? SO???

Banjo: So what?

Never mind.

Kazooie: If I die, I'm gonna kick your…

Banjo: ASPARAGUS!

Kazooie: O.o

Banjo: No swearing allowed!

Kazooie: Meh… -.-;

Review, peoples!


	8. Resistance by Love

A/N: (super happy) Hello, People!!

Banjo: What're you so happy about?

Tonight I'm going to the Winter Formal… with a senior!!! :D

Kazooie: O.o Whoa, that's crazy… How much didya bribe him?

Very funny.

Banjo: STORY!!!

YES!!! CHAPPIE TIME!!!!

* * *

_Things aren't always what they seem_

_Especially in Cloud Cuckooland._

_But I never would've guessed what was really going on…

* * *

_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 8: Resistance by Love

Once they reached their destination, the bubble abruptly spit them out onto the blue platform they had landed on. Looking up, Kyra gasped as she saw their new environment.

It was a great hollow mountain that floated on the clouds, with many colorful platforms adjacent and floating around it. It was a strange world of whimsy and wonder hidden in the clouds far above the practical world of ground-dwellers.

"Breathtaking, isn't it?" said Banjo with a smile. "Watch your step up here- it's a _looooong_ way down!"

Cautiously, Kyra peered over the side of the platform and her eyes went wide in wonder as all she saw of Isle o' Hags was a tiny speck among the grand oceans.

"Careful," Banjo gently tugged her away from the edge. "You feel it up here?"

"Yes… The pull at my magic feeling is very strong up here."

"Then we should start looking… But first," Banjo paused, looking up at Kyra tenderly. "I was meaning… to thank you earlier before all this madness happened…"

Kyra inclined her head. "For what?"

"For giving me the power of spirit-call," Banjo answered simply. He then unwrapped the crocodile tooth necklace around his scruffy neck and motioned it toward her. "So I want you to have this."

"Oh, Banjo, I couldn't…"

"Please take it," Banjo pleaded softly, tenderly placing the necklace in her paws. "It's the least I could do in return."

Kyra smiled gently as she took it and wrapped it around her own neck. It dangled low, sitting along with the other broaches and gems that hung from her neck.

Banjo's face beamed. "It looks nice on you."

Kyra returned the smile. "Thank you."

As the priestess glanced into those cheerful, beautiful eyes, that funny feeling inside her stomach became noticeable again. A feeling she had never felt before in her homeland. Then again, she had never met a charming young male bear on her homeland either.

Could it have been… love?

The magic was broken as Banjo finally said, "Let's start looking for that Glowbo. It could be anywhere up here."

Quietly sighing, Kyra nodded in agreement. She knew the urgency of their mission, but she secretly wished that sweet little moment could've lasted a little longer.

So they began their search around Cloud Cuckooland. They looked everywhere possible: the Pot o' Gold, the Trash Can, the Cheese Wedge, both Mumbo skulls, and every other platform out there. But mysteriously, no Glowbo creature was found. As the two searched the Central Cavern, they were slowly losing hope, or at least Kyra was.

"Are you sure it can be found up here?" she asked as Banjo peered into a closed-off pool of water.

"Well, yeah." He looked back up at her. "I mean, you can feel it up here, can't you?"

"Well…" she sighed in defeat. "Yes…"

"Then don't give up hope just yet." He gave her a comforting smile and looked to the other side of the cavern. "We haven't looked in the green pool area yet. Let's check it out."

Kyra agreed, and they approached the pool, dived into the water, and swam towards the entrance that led outside. As they swam, Kyra, unable to breath let alone speak, still managed to voice further concerns through spirit-call.

-_But what if I'm detecting another magic creature?-_

-_The only other magical creatures that live up here that I know of are Mumbo and Wumba,-_ he responded. -_And they're back down at Spiral Mountain right now.-_

That also left her quiet. He seemed so confident in finding this Glowbo that no contradictions could push down his hope. And Kyra admired him for that.

After resurfacing outside the mountain, Banjo went tense as he looked around intently as if hearing something. As they floated at the water's surface, Kyra immediately noticed this motion.

"Banjo, what is…?"

"Shh!" he shushed her gently. -_Listen…-_

Kyra obeyed and strained to hear any noises besides those of birds and the water's ripples. Finally, her acute hearing caught a tiny sound, like a giggle.

-_That's a Glowbo call.-_ Listening carefully, Banjo swam over to a ledge below a high cliff and pulled himself cautiously out of the water. Kyra followed, kneeling by him as they peered into a crack in the cliff wall, one too small to crawl through. Inside the tiny crack, a tiny, pink creature hopped on two stubby little legs, its big floppy ears bouncing along. Kyra looked at the little creature curiously.

Banjo gently held her back. -_Don't scare it. Just stay back, and I'll get it to come out.-_

Kyra scooted back as far as she could, but still managed to look inside and watch. Banjo got as low as his elbows, poking his snout slowly into the crack, and softly clearing his throat, he gave out a call that sounded extremely similar to that of the Glowbo's call. The Glowbo looked up cautiously at the bear as he used hand gestures to persuade it to come closer. It slowly inched its way towards him, then with more similar calls from Banjo, it then gleefully hopped into his arms. Banjo smiled warmly as he cradled it lightly, petting it behind the ears. It cooed softly in response, settling against his warm furry chest and looking up with big green eyes.

Kyra looked upon the Glowbo in curious fascination. -_It's so small… so…-_

_-Cute?-_ Banjo finished with a grin. -_Let's get it home.-_

Kyra nodded in agreement, but then suddenly, a beastly hiss made everything go quiet instantly. The Glowbo looked up and screeched in terror, burying itself deeper in Banjo's furry arms. Fearfully, the bears slowly looked up in horror to glance upon a giant, black and green cobra, leering down at its new-found prey in glee. It rose out of the water into striking position, letting out a shriek and baring its extremely long fangs, its neck stretching into a threatening hood. The bears screamed in terror and jumped in opposite directions just as the cobra lunged, lodging its head into the crack.

Hitting the water once more, Kyra recovered from shock and let out a desperate spirit-call. -_Banjo! Where did that come from!?-_

-_I don't know!-_ Banjo sounded just as panicked as she was.

The bears climbed onto dry land just as the cobra angrily pulled its head out of the crack. The two backed up slowly as it slithered closer until they reached the precariously high ledge. One step over this ledge would lead to certain death.

The two split up, and the ruthless reptile snapped at each of them, and they dodged with desperate jumps and rolls on the dirt ground. Clutching the Glowbo as tight as he could, Banjo focused on avoiding the snake and keeping the Glowbo safe. But as he rolled through the dirt a second time, he looked in shock to find his arms empty. Looking up, he saw the extremely frightened Glowbo hopping like mad. Banjo leaped to his feet in an attempt to rescue the creature.

At the same time, Kyra confronted the cobra bravely, raising her dagger and releasing a blast meant to greatly stun the target. The cobra screeched in pain, pulling its head back in shock. But with this motion, the snake's brutal strength was enough to push Banjo far enough towards the edge to fall off. Only a wildly flailing paw catching the rocky edge saved him from swift death.

"KYRA!!!" he cried in terror, dangling dangerously above the dizzying, deadly denizens (ha! Try saying that ten times fast!). And worse, he felt his grip slipping… "KYRA, HELP!!!"

Kyra stood in the middle, not knowing what to do. She had to save Banjo, but the Glowbo, just beyond reach, was the easiest target in the world for the cobra now.

"KYRA!!!!" Banjo screamed as a wind began to start up.

They had come this far and were almost home free… And Banjo would risk life and limb for his friends…

"KYRA!!!!!!!" His bandaged fingers were slipping steadily…

And Kyra was plagued with enough guilt…

"**_KYRA!!!!!!!!!!!_**" Banjo wailed one last time as his grip gave out. He began to drop…

…and then an elegant paw grabbed his wrist tightly.

Banjo looked up and let out a heavy breath of relief when he saw Kyra above him, holding him steady. She offered her other paw and pulled him back up, briefly and tightly embracing the trembling bear. As he tightly hugged her back, Kyra's heart nearly leaped to her throat as she felt a warm, wonderful feeling burst from her chest. Never had she gotten this close to him before…

But the present situation snapped them out of it. "The Glowbo!" they both exclaimed as they looked that way to see the recovered cobra ready to pounce. Banjo stumbled to his feet and dove for the paralyzed Glowbo, catching it and getting out of the way before the cobra chomped down on either one of them.

As Banjo leaned against the cliff wall, he had troubles keeping the terrified Glowbo in his grip as it whined and squealed and squirmed in his arms. He kneeled and tried to calm it down with any Glowbo-like coos he could think of.

-_BANJO!! LOOK OUT!!!-_

Banjo looked up and instantly became petrified with fear as the cobra began advancing fast, glaring him down with sharp, hypnotic, burning orange eyes. It reared back its head, its fangs glistening, and Banjo screamed in terror as it launched itself forward…

… But then it froze, bathed in a purple light, suspended just an inch before its prey. Banjo trembled lightly, eyes wide as saucers and mouth open in complete horror.

-_Banjo, snap out of it! I can't keep this spell on for long!-_

Banjo shook his head to shake off the fear, and peered beyond the frozen cobra to find the purple light emitting from the amethyst dagger in Kyra's paw. It looked like she was straining her powers.

-_Kyra…?-_

-_Go! Take the Glowbo and get out of here, now!-_

-_But what about you!?-_

-_I'll deal with the beast! Get that Glowbo back home! I'll catch up!-_

Banjo stood still, not knowing what to do.

-_Kazooie's life is at stake! She needs that Glowbo! Hurry!-_

Realizing this, his expression grew serious, and before leaping into the water, he whispered, -_Be careful.-_

He quickly disappeared under the waters and through the cave, heading back for home.

With much relief, Kyra released the spell on the cobra, and when it realized its prey had disappeared, it turned to the priestess, an irate look in its piercing eyes. It loomed over her menacingly, and she bravely stood her ground, raising her dagger and returning the glare.

But then it suddenly recoiled, uninterested, and it spoke in a scratchy, familiar voice, "Well played, girl."

Kyra gave it an odd look, slightly lowering her defense, then watched in surprise as it stretched and recoiled into a ball, sparks radiating off its scales. A brief flash of light, and with a thud, the evil witch Gruntilda landed on the soil, giving her a furious glare.

"… The problem is, YOU LET HIM GO!!"

Shocked and suddenly afraid, Kyra withdrew her dagger and bowed. Why she did so, she didn't know. "I-I'm sorry, he-he… slipped away…"

"I had him in the palm of my hands, and you GOT IN THE WAY!!" Gruntilda shrieked, looking upon Kyra like a naughty child. "I swear, it's like you actually CARE about the fool!"

Kyra naturally gulped, but thankfully the witch never noticed.

Grunty sighed in frustration. "Oh well. Time for a progress report, little lady," she ordered. "What dirt have you dug up on him?"

Kyra looked up at her questioningly, not quite understanding. "Huh…?"

"Weaknesses!!" Grunty snapped. "Are you gonna tell me or not!?"

Oh, that's right, the weaknesses… Kyra cursed mentally, but remembered who the witch was talking about. What did it matter? She didn't want to hurt Banjo at all anyway! And with that decision, she turned her back to the witch and replied, "No."

Grunty looked at the priestess, dumbfounded, then sneered. "So you DO care about him! Well, that's just great! I knew I shouldn't have trusted another bear! You're worthless! You…!!"

But Kyra didn't care in the slightest as she rolled the crocodile tooth pendant in her paw. "It doesn't matter."

"Wha…?" Grunty observed her closely.

A smile crossed Kyra's lips. "…because you can't hurt him. He has no weakness!" She turned to see and savor to shocked look she expected to see. "He…!"

But much to Kyra's dismay, an evil smirk formed on Grunty's face instead. "Oh, I think he does…" she said slyly, grasping the crocodile tooth necklace. "I think he does!"

Kyra's heart sank with fear. Did the warty witch mean…?

A/N: (is wearing her formal dress) :3

Banjo: Wow, nice.

Kazooie: Whoa! NN1's in a dress!! What has this world come to!?

Shut up, or I'll kick you with my high heels.

Kazooie: (shuts up)

Review, people!!


	9. The Truth is Told

A/N: Hey guys. Sorry I've been out so long. I had evil end of semester projects to attend to. Yay for me.

Banjo: Let's see… she had the Science Fair Project… The World History Project… The English portfolio…

Kazooie: Dang, that's a lot…

Yep. And I have an all-day speech tournament next Saturday, and all this stuff is simply killing me altogether. TT;

Kazooie: Moving right along…

Chappie time!!!!

* * *

_And here's where it all came tumbling down._

_All the hopes, the dreams, the trust…_

_All came down like an avalanche,_

_Crushing the hopes I had left.

* * *

_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 9: The Truth is Told

Banjo bashed the front door in with his shoulder, hastily stepping inside the house. The residents faced the door upon hearing the door slam against the wall.

"Banjo!" half of them cried.

"Where's Kyra?" Bottles asked.

"She'll catch up," Banjo answered quickly, holding the Glowbo towards Mumbo. "Here's the Glowbo."

Mumbo brought out his bag. "Put in Mumbo's Bag!"

Carefully, Banjo placed the creature inside the leather bag and watched anxiously as Mumbo approached the bedside of the still unconscious Kazooie. Mumbo looked the breegul over thoughtfully, and then Wumba approached his side.

"Little bird big heap hurt," she said softly, grasping the side of his bag. "Will need both our powers combined."

Mumbo nodded as they held their hands out above Kazooie. Magical little sparks radiated off their fingertips and swirled around the injured bird, working their magic.

The house was awfully quiet. Banjo watched anxiously, Kazooie's deathly pale pallor terrifying him deeply. Which would win, heal or hurt?

Soon, the magic disappeared, as it was finished. Everyone held their breath.

_Come on, come on, come on…_ Banjo silently begged, a grim look in his eyes as he prayed and prayed…

…and Kazooie's eyes slowly opened.

An air of relief cycled around the room as Kazooie began to recognize her surroundings. She sat up and looked up at Banjo, who grinned as tears of joy began streaming down his face.

"What's your problem, Banjo!?"

"Oh, Kazooie!" he cried happily, embracing her tightly and catching her off-guard. "I thought I'd never hear one of your wisecracks again!"

"Huh…?" Kazooie grunted in confusion. "What happened?"

A few minutes passed as Kazooie listened to the story from everyone, gingerly removing her now unnecessary bandages. "So, that's it, huh?" she muttered after hearing the details from Banjo of their small journey. She then looked around. "So, where's Kyra?"

"Back at Cloud Cuckooland. I hope she's o…" But Banjo didn't finish that statement as his whole body tensed up as if he had heard something.

"What is it, Banjo?" someone asked him, but he couldn't tell who, for he only focused on the desperate call he heard echoing in his mind:

-_Banjo! The snake, it was Gruntilda! I'm now being held prisoner in Cauldron Keep! Help!!-_

Hearing this, Banjo shot up from his seat, receiving many looks of confusion from his friends.

"Banjo…? Are you okay?" Bottles asked skeptically.

"Kyra! She's in trouble! I can hear her!" he cried.

Mumbo looked at the bear oddly. "How Banjo know?"

"No time to explain! Grunty's got her!" he urged, pulling the backpack off the hat rack and tugging it on hastily. He then turned to Kazooie, a smirk suddenly playing across his snout. "You ready to get revenge on the smelly hag?"

Kazooie's fierce eyes of emerald brightened as she grinned in elation. "You bet!!" she trilled, leaping gleefully into the backpack, eager to kick butt.

Banjo turned to the rest, a new kind of determination flashing in his aquatic blue eyes. "Anyone else?"

----------

In the end, Bottles, Mumbo, and Wumba ended up going with the determined bear and bird duo. Tooty stayed behind for safety purposes, and since he was last to call dibs, Jamjars was left to look after Tooty reluctantly in case Gruntilda tried anything sneaky while they were dealing with the ugly crone.

The rescue party quickly reached Cauldron Keep, climbing to the top room of the rust-green tower, where B.O.B. once stood. Seems like Grunty destroyed it after it was declared practically useless. All there was left of it were a few scraps of metal scattered on the glass floor.

But that's not what mattered at the moment. As the group looked ahead, they saw Gruntilda herself standing on a standing on a higher platform, giving them a spiteful smirk as she tightened her grip on Kyra's wrists, which were apparently already tied up. The priestess looked up and briefly stopped her struggle as she caught the sight of Banjo, an angry look in his eyes as he glared the witch down.

The most hated archrivals exchanged angry glares, then Grunty chuckled deeply and creepily. "So, fuzzhead, you came after all… I knew you'd come for your precious little Kyra…"

Her mocking tone only proved to anger him more as his paws tightened into angry fists and lips curled back in a dangerous snarl, baring his sharp teeth. His furious glare grew more intense as he took a few steps forward fearlessly, eyes narrowing as he got closer.

"Kyra…" he hissed through clenched teeth, the undercurrents of a threat clearly detected in his deep voice. "Release her. Now."

Kyra looked down at him, slightly shocked. Never before had she seen this kind, gentle being so angry… so agitated… so full of hate…

Grunty threw her head back in maniacal laughter as if that was the most ridiculous thing she ever heard. "HA! You think I'm gonna give her up that easily!? Well, then you're in for a rude awakening!"

"Just let her go!" Banjo exploded in rage, startling many of his already apprehensive friends behind him. "She had nothing to do with you!"

Kyra winced at these words as Gruntilda sneered. "Ooh, she does alright… She most certainly does!"

Banjo's look of anger shifted silently to that of suspicion, but before he could say anything, the witch continued. "Now, listen up, dunce! I'm willing to let your precious Kyra go…that is, if you willingly give yourself in!"

A look of shock came over many faces at the atrocious request. But as Banjo looked upon a helpless Kyra, his composure changed to that of uncertainty as he was once again caught in the middle of a tough decision.

"No way! He'd never give in to you!!" Kazooie instantly retorted hotly. "Would you, Banjo!?"

But when she looked into those hopeless and distraught eyes of her partner, she instantly regretted speaking. But thinking quickly, she came back with, "But we'll fight you for her freedom!"

"That's not part of the deal, egglayer, so back off!" Grunty snapped harshly, turning her attention back to Banjo. "Kyra's freedom in exchange for your capture. Well?"

Banjo didn't know what to do. He looked back at his friends, who were silently shaking their heads, clearly disagreeing with the idea. His friends, who were always there through thick and thin, and always willing to help in any way bring down any naughty witches. He couldn't just abandon them…

But then he glanced up at Kyra as she stood with pleading eyes, seemingly defenseless against Gruntilda's brutish strength. She was in desperate trouble, and he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he just left her alone to her fate…

In what was probably the most hardest decision he had to make, Banjo sighed and lowered his gaze in defeat. "Fine," he said in a shaky voice, receiving looks of shock from his friends.

Grunty grinned evilly. "Very well!" She ripped the ropes bounding Kyra off, then snapped her fingers. At this, magical beams of lightening tightened themselves around the groups' wrists, officially claiming them as prisoners. But the one clamping over Banjo's wrists had dreadful powers within them, causing much pain as it drained the energy from his body. Kyra watched in horror as he collapsed to his knees, slowly losing strength.

"No, stop! Don't hurt him, please!" she begged as she rushed to his side, kneeling by him and embracing him tightly. -_Banjo… I'm so sorry…-_

Gruntilda looked over the two, a cruel grin spreading across her warty face. She snapped her fingers again, halting the lightening chains' draining effects on the bear. Then she leaned casually against the wall, ready to twist the knife in his emotional wound.

"By the way, Banjo…" she started. "I should mention that Kyra was working for me the whole time!"

After getting him to his feet and hearing this, Kyra turned sharply in shock. "No! That's not true!" she bellowed in denial.

"Oh, but it is!" The witch's sadistic smile only grew. "She cleverly sniffed out your greatest weakness- herself! And thanks to her, you are now in my clutches!"

Kyra desperately took Banjo's paws in hers as he slowly looked at her, big, beautiful eyes afraid. "Kyra… tell me it isn't true…" he softly pleaded, his voice cracking.

Kyra looked into his begging eyes, and found herself unable to lie any longer. It was time for the truth. Ashamed, she lowered her gaze.

"She is…not lying…"

Banjo was struck with a thousand emotions. His heart sank as he felt confused, devastated, and betrayed. Slowly, she looked up into his hurt eyes, tears gathering within them as his last hopes shattered.

"Banjo, please! It's not what you think!" she begged as he bitterly drew back and turned away, closing his eyes in remorse. Tears began flowing freely down her cheeks as she desperately tried to hold him back by the shoulder. "Please! Just let me explain…!"

Grunty cackled cruelly in amusement at her enemy's pain as a few of her minions grabbed the other angry and protesting prisoners, leading them back out of the room. Banjo went obediently; though reluctant to go, he had given up his last hope. It had rested on Kyra before, but now it was gone.

Kyra stood rooted to the floor frightfully, watching them go silently, broken with no words. Banjo briefly turned back to face her, and Kyra caught a glimpse of the depressed and hopeless look on his face. As he was pushed along, a whisper in a spirit-call literally broke her heart in two.

-_Why, Kyra? Why?-_ he pleaded as the door hissed closed after them.

Guilt. That's what plagued the young shamaness, and its weight became unbearable. She fell to her knees, covering her face in despair as the dry sobs and tears came freely.

"What have I done…?"

A/N: I HATE SCHOOL AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME!!!!!!!!!!

Banjo: O.O (is blown back)

Kazooie: Dang, NN1's mad.

Banjo: Ya think!?

Oh, just review, please.


	10. Regained Trust

A/N: HEY Y'ALL! All my crap is done and over with, and it's the start of a new semester!

Kazooie: Which means you can update more, right?

Yep:D

Banjo: Yay!

CHAPPIE TIME!

* * *

_It was all a plot. _

_All a scheme…_

_But somehow, someway,_

_I held on to a tiny hope that Kyra was good._

_And I don't regret that at all._

_

* * *

_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 10: Regained Trust

A damp, cold ground and a fairly unpleasant smell accompanied the prisoners in their dingy cells in the lowest chambers below the tower. A group of disgruntled mammals sat in discomfort, waiting for something to happen.

Kazooie glared angrily at the iron bars separating them from freedom. She tried everything she could think of to bust them down, from her Wing Whack to her explosive Grenade Eggs, but the stubborn gate refused to budge. There was no way of getting out.

She turned her attention towards the trio of Bottles, Mumbo, and Wumba, who sat huddled in a circle, mumbling amongst each other. They seemed very pessimistic as the breegul caught a bit of their conversation.

"I knew that girl was doing something to Banjo…"

"Mumbo knew too! She very suspicious…"

"Now we in big heap smelly prison!"

Kazooie frowned in disapproval of their negative attitude, then ruefully turned to look at Banjo. He sat in a dark corner, facing the wall, away from the others. He hugged his bent knees close, his face buried within them. A look of pity crossed her face as she stood, slowly approaching him. Now that she was closer, she noticed the slight movements and the slightly muffled sounds he made. Sounds… like dry sobs. Was he…

crying?

"Banjo…?" With her unnaturally soft-spoken voice, Banjo slowly lifted his head. As if to prove her assumption correct, his eyes were red and damp, cheeks drenched in salty tears. Disheartened, he buried his snout from view once more.

"Go away, Kazooie," he groaned in a quiet voice.

"Hey, come on, Banjo, what's wrong?" She sat down close to him.

"You know what's wrong."

"I ain't psychic, Banjo," Kazooie noted bluntly.

Banjo sighed, a dry sob escaping his throat. "I trusted her… All she did for me… for you… All of it… was fake…" The last word he uttered woefully, generating more tears as he hugged himself closer. "I'm such an idiot…"

"Hey, come on!" Kazooie said irritably. "Just 'cause she lied doesn't mean you have to beat yourself up about it!"

"Look, I know it's my fault," he retorted coldly, turning away from her. "So just leave me alone."

Kazooie sighed, becoming annoyed by his stubbornness. But she stopped herself from starting an argument, for a fight would only make things worse. Making Banjo feel better would require a different approach. So Kazooie thought of one as she settled into a more comfortable position on the floor.

"Y'know…" she began, trying to sound casual. "When Kyra first appeared, I got a little suspicious myself…"

"Why didn't you tell me…?"

"You were happy, that's why!" Kazooie responded, getting a little ticked off. "You actually had a mutual being to be with, and coincidentally, she was pretty too! Why should I have spoiled it for you?"

This got Banjo to look up at Kazooie surprisingly. She… cared about his happiness alone?

Kazooie calmed back down. "But that's not the point. After helping get that Glowbo to save me, she even got _me_ to believe she was for real! _Me,_ of all people!"

This got a tiny chuckle out of Banjo despite his mood, and it quickly died in his throat.

"The point is, either she's a really good actor, or maybe she isn't all that bad after all," she reasoned, recalling the details mentioned to her earlier. "Back at Cloud Cuckooland, she could've just let you fall, but did she?"

Hesitantly, Banjo shook his head.

"Right. And frankly, she didn't look all that happy when Grunty spilled the beans either."

Banjo looked at the ground thoughtfully.

"Now, I'm not fast to assume things…" But she changed her mind when Banjo gave her a playful look. "Okay, maybe I am, but something tells me that Kyra didn't mean to do all this. I'll bet you my birdseed money that the old hag threatened her or something like that!"

Banjo pulled his gaze up to his partner just as her emerald eyes became incredibly sincere.

"I believe Kyra a lot more than I believe Gruntilda, and I'm willing to give her another chance." She looked sternly into his gentle eyes. "Are you?"

Banjo looked back at Kazooie, a smile slowly spreading across his face as he nodded, sniffling a little.

Kazooie returned the grin. "Alright, then."

Banjo's happy smile turned into a grateful one. "Thanks, Kazooie."

The bird shrugged casually. "Hey, that's what I'm here for. You wouldn't last two minutes without me."

Banjo gave her a playful scowl, and they both laughed lightly. It looked like he was greatly cheered up, and Kazooie was glad for it.

After a little thinking, Banjo repositioned himself into the cross-legged position, getting a curious look from Kazooie.

"Whatcha doing, Banjo?"

"Finding Kyra," he responded simply, gently shutting his eyes and allowing himself to focus.

-_Kyra… Kyra, where are you…-_

Far above them in the top chamber, while carefully observing Gruntilda as she whispered to a few of her minions, Kyra hear this call, a little shocked.

_-Banjo… Is that really you-_

_-None other. Kyra… All I want to know is why you're on Grunty's side. Just tell me, and I'll understand.-_

Grateful for a second chance, Kyra responded-_It's difficult to explain, so just listen…-_

And with that, she opened a connection with him that allowed him to hear the conversation she was about to strike up with Gruntilda. She cleared her throat loudly when Grunty sent away her minions, gaining her attention.

"What do YOU want?" the witch snapped acidly.

"May I return home now?" Kyra asked. "I have fulfilled my end of the deal. Since I aided you in the capture of you arch-nemesis, you shall leave Amethystar alone, right?"

_So that was it,_ Banjo thought as he listened. _Kazooie was right- Grunty DID threaten her!_

Gruntilda looked at her, confused at first. "Huh…?... Oh, right…" A smirk began to form on her face as she hefted up one of the B.R.Y.A.N. blasters. "See, about that… I crossed my fingers when I made that deal."

"But you were holding that B.R.Y.A.N. contraption!"

"Oh… Then I just lied."

"WHAT?" both Kyra and Banjo cried out. The others all looked at Banjo oddly, wondering what was getting him so worked up.

"You heard me!" Grunty exclaimed irritably. "My whole army's suiting up for the takeover of your precious little island, and there's nothing you can do about it!"

"NO!" Kyra bellowed angrily. "You can't do that! We had an agreement!"

"Well, you lied to Banjo."

"You MADE me!"

"Hmmp. Touché. But still, I'm going through with my plans, and I don't intend on letting anyone stand in my way, especially not a little girl!"

Kyra growled, and with an angry cry, jumped at the witch, dagger drawn. Highly annoyed, Gruntilda hit her hard with a blow that knocked the priestess to the back wall. She cried out from the vicious pain that shot up her spine.

"KYRA!" Banjo cried out, leaping to his feet. In turn, he received more puzzled looks.

Bottles blinked. "Banjo, are you o…?"

"_Shh!_" Banjo shushed him quickly.

Kyra glared up at Gruntilda through a black eye. "You will regret this! I swear by the Great Moon, you WILL regret this!"

Grunty threw her head back in evil laughter as Kyra bolted out of the room. "HA! WATCH ME, FOOLISH GIRL! WATCH ME!"

-

"_ARGH! THAT SELFISH, TWISTED, NO GOOD WITCH!_" Banjo shouted in anger, burying his fist into the wall. The others flinched, slightly intimidated by their friend's sudden burst of fury.

"B-Banjo… What wrong?" Wumba asked fearfully.

The bear sighed, trying to calm down. "Grunty… That hag lied to Kyra!"

"Huh?" everyone asked.

He turned to them all to freely express his anger. "She threatened the safety of Kyra's homeland! That's how she got her to work for her!"

"I knew it!" Kazooie exclaimed.

"But that double-crossing witch is attacking Amethystar anyway!" After getting the shocked expressions he expected, he continued. "We have to stop her!"

"Yeah, well, might I add, Banjo, that we're kinda _stuck in a cage!_"

Banjo gave Bottles an irritated look. "Then we first have to get out of here, and THEN stop Gruntilda!"

That's when the iron bars slid open, and in the exit stood Kyra. Banjo's face instantly brightened, as did hers.

"Banjo!"

"Kyra!" They flew into each other's arms in glee, happily embracing each other. Kyra was so glad to hold him closely like this again, for she had feared she'd never be able to enjoy the feeling again.

"Oh, Kyra, I'm so sorry for all this mess!" he cried, holding her tightly. Too soon, he drew away and gasped, placing a gentle paw on the side of her face. "Look what she did to you…"

Kyra winced briefly as the pain of her black eye became noticeable again.

Banjo's worried look hardened into a determined glare. "Don't worry, we'll make that hag pay!"

"… Banjo go save Amethystar?" Mumbo asked.

The bear turned and faced the rest, still holding Kyra in his arms. "We all will! We'll take Grunty down and show her what for!"

They all cheered (Kazooie the loudest) as they rushed out of their cell towards the exit. Banjo would've followed, but Kyra briefly stopped him.

"Listen, Banjo… About what I did… I-I…" But she stopped when Banjo raised a paw of silence shaking his head.

"You don't have to be sorry, Kyra. You were only protecting what mattered most to you- your home. And trust me, I understand completely how you feel… And if anyone should be sorry, it's me… for ever doubting you."

Kyra smiled through tears of joys, embracing him once more tightly. She was so glad he was so incredibly forgiving, and now she felt a new kind of happiness, as now she could love him freely without any restrictions. She felt free, and the guilt was lifted off her shoulders.

Once again, Banjo drew away, a determined smile spreading across his face. "Let's go save Amethystar."

Kyra agreed, and together they followed their friends out of Cauldron Keep and after the vile Gruntilda.

A/N: Wee! Look! An update:D

Kazooie: Are you hyper on something?

Yep! Chocolate:D

Banjo: Of course…

Review! I'm lacking reviews! Please review!


	11. The Battle of Amethystar

A/N: Hey, guys! Why isn't anyone reviewing?

Banjo: Fairy Red reviewed.

Oh yeah. Um, no, your guess is wrong, sorry. Here, lemme give you guys a hint: B is for "Blaster." K?

Kazooie: You just gave it away.

So? Here's the exciting chappie! YAY!

* * *

_It was what Kazooie liked to call "revenge time."_

_Gruntilda had pushed things way too far._

_And it was time to stop her _

_And save Amethystar from her wrath.

* * *

_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 11: The Battle of Amethystar

It didn't take long to get back on the sea. After much thought, Banjo decided to bring Tooty along to make sure she would be safe. And since there was no more room in Kyra's small boat, Jamjars was reluctantly left behind. The rest climbed aboard and set sail for Amethystar.

Knowing their urgency, Mumbo used his new Speed spell to quicken the speed of the boat dramatically (his spells sure are useful, aren't you?) to over ten times its normal sailing speed. In only a matter of a day, they reached the island by nightfall. But as they approached it, they all stared in horror.

The once beautiful island had turned grey and black, great trees drooping and once sparkling lakes and springs completely dried up. The place seemed quiet and completely lifeless.

As they stepped onto the cracked and brittle beach, Kyra looked on in complete horror, tears beginning to stream down her face. "We're… too late…"

Banjo held her in a comforting hug out of pity as she burst into mournful tears and sobs. But a heavy rumble and many distant cries of terror interrupted that. The group turned to see Kyra's tribe crash through the rotted foliage, panicking and fleeing from some great force. They were all brown bears of various age, looking as spiritual as Kyra herself.

"Father!" Kyra cried as the eldest tribe member flew into her arms. "What has happened here…?"

The Elder responded in silence, but Banjo could easily tell they were exchanging spirit-calls. The rescue party watched as the desperate tribes-folk flocked to the beach's side, fearfully gathering and praying to any spirits who would listen to their poor souls.

Banjo, of course, looked at the terrified tribe in pity, but also in de-ja-vu. Somehow, someway, these people looked awfully familiar, like from a memory buried deep within his mind that he couldn't quite seem to remember fully.

But that thought was interrupted when that rumble got closer and clearer. Half of it was heavy, stomping-like marching, and the other half was the roaring of a heavy, bestial machine thundering across the dead island. Finally, from the opening the frantic tribe had created in the foliage, an army of evil minions marched on, each touting a long rifle-shaped blaster over their shoulders. And from behind them, out poked a long, large drill that the Isle o' Hags residents recognized all too well. Looks like Grunty fixed up the Hag 1, as it trampled the rest of the foliage flat. The marching stopped about a few yards away from the tribe, and the hatch at the top of the Hag 1 opened to reveal the old witch herself.

"Prepare for the end of Ameth!" But she stopped when she saw the Isle o' Hags residents, especially Banjo. "… WHAT THE HECK? What're YOU all doing here?"

Kyra released her confused father and took Banjo by the paw as they both glared up at Gruntilda. "I told you you'd regret this… and this time I didn't lie!"

Gruntilda's shocked look instantly went down to an irritated glare as she leaned forward in her hatch. "So, you two kissed and made up, eh? Well, hats off to you!"

"Aw, shaddap, you smelly old hag!" Kazooie trilled.

"You're getting too cocky for your own good, Grunty!" Banjo exclaimed, pulling Kazooie out and holding her in Breegul Blaster mode. "And it's time to pay!"

At this motion, Kyra drew her dagger, Mumbo brought out his Shaman Stick, and Wumba brought out her own mystical staff she had recently developed.

At this, Grunty cackled in amusement. "You wanna take on my army of minions? Well, then, be my guest!" She sat back, getting ready to watch the carnage. But when they all raised their blasters, she snapped impatiently, "No, you morons! The B.R.Y.A.N.s are for the island and tribe ONLY! Don't waste their power on these pests!"

The minions did as they were told, tossing the blasters aside and bared their teeth and claws threateningly.

"Yeah, go ahead and come, freaks!" Kazooie taunted. "We'll take down all of you!"

"Bottles, you help Kyra protect Tooty and the tribe!" Banjo urgently whispered to his short-sighted friend.

Bottles glanced up at him unbelievably. "W-wha…?"

But the bear didn't answer as he rushed in with Mumbo and Wumba to confront the army bravely. They actually weren't all that tough, falling with any well-placed standard attacks. With any types of eggs, a poke with a Beak Bayonet, Kyra's magical blasts, and any other shamans' weapons, the army slowly began to fall. Even a well-thrown heap of mud from Bottles set up an attack from his comrades.

Tooty stood back and watched with the tribe, but she was not as frightened as they all were. Unlike them, the young cub was used to watching her brother and friends fight monsters, so used that she's cheer them on enthusiastically.

But soon her cheers stopped when she noticed the dropped B.R.Y.A.N.s on the ground. On the way here, Kyra had explained what these blasters were used for, and Tooty looked curiously at them from a distance. The transparent storage tanks near the end glowed purple, each full of life force. And upon further thinking, Tooty came up with an idea.

"Banjo!" she called out into the melee. "Come here! I have an idea! Hurry!"

Most older brothers would brush her off, saying they were quite preoccupied, but not Banjo. Seeing a reflection of himself in Tooty's bold, smart thinking, Banjo always took his little sister seriously.

He broke off briefly and said to Kazooie, "Wanna go off on your own for a bit?"

"Heck yeah!" The breegul leaped out of his arms and ran into the mess to kick some tail feather.

Banjo quickly got to his sister's side. "What is it, Tooty?"

"Look at all the B.R.Y.A.N.s on the ground! If they can suck up life, can't they blow it back too?"

Banjo looked down at Tooty, a smile crossing his snout as he began to catch on to the idea. Looking over to the frightened tribe, he could tell they were devastated by the reaping of their homeland. How easy it would be to get the people to unite and stand against this evil force…

He leaped atop a high boulder formation, standing above them all. "Listen up, Amethystians!" he called out, getting their attention. "If you want to restore life to your island, do exactly as I tell you!"

Despite their uncertainty, the tribe had no choice but to listen to this stranger.

"Right, then! My pals and I will get those machines on the ground and give one to each of you! Don't press anything on them until I tell you to, alright?"

Slowly and hesitantly, they all exchanged unknowing glances all around, but nodded. At this, Banjo jumped off the rocks and observed the battlefield while calculating the quickest way to get the task done.

Much to Grunty's dismay, her army of monsters was slowly falling at a rapid rate. It seemed like the defending group were definitely not overwhelmed despite the huge size of the army itself. She cursed under her breath as she began preparing the Hag 1 to retreat in a cowardly fashion.

With the declining number of enemies, more fighter were open for other tasks. Knowing this, Banjo entered the fight and urgently instructed each of his allies that whenever they had the chance to retrieve the B.R.Y.A.N.s and pass them to each Amethystian. Catching on to the plan, they all obeyed and went right to work.

Each one of them grabbed to or three at a time, rushing to the tribe and giving each member one of the B.R.Y.A.N.s before dashing quickly back into battle. In minutes, each and every one of them held one of the many blasters, looking at them curiously.

Banjo grabbed the last one and stood above them once again and proceeded to explain to them how to work the contraptions they were unfamiliar with.

"… And take this knob and switch it from 'suck' to 'blow…'" A flood of clicking followed. "Right! Now, on my signal, point this end down into the ground and hold down this little trigger until it runs out of juice! Got it?"

Feeling more confident, they all nodded and pointed the blasters into the dusty ground. Banjo moved to the front of the group, positioning himself.

Gruntilda popped out of the hatch once again to observe the carnage, realizing something. "Hey, where'd all the B.R.Y.A.N.s go?" She then looked ahead at the Amethystians in horror. "…! _OH NO…!_"

"_NOW!_" Banjo shouted, pushing in the trigger and releasing a blast of purple light that flooded into the grey ground. This same light erupted from each blaster, with odd sounds that melded together into one dull hum. And from beneath their feet, the grey beach got back its sandy color. The more it went on, the more color spread across the island.

Kyra blasted the last minion into oblivion, letting out a breath of exhaustion. She leaned over briefly to catch her breath, and that's when she saw the color sweep below her and the cracked earth become soft and sandy under her feet. She looked up in disbelief and amazement as the whole island filled with life, great trees and forests standing tall once more, and lakes and streams filled with pure, clean water. The once toxic air became fresh once more. Kyra's eyes filled with tears of joy as her homeland came back to life.

Once the blasters were finished off, Banjo shouted over the crowd, "Now destroy them all, in any way you can!"

The tribe obeyed enthusiastically, smashing them against rocks and boulders. In no time, they were all in scattered pieces in the sand, like shells.

The other Isle o' Hags heroes let out a happy cheer as the fighting was over and the island of Amethystar was saved. Kyra rushed in and embraced Banjo around the shoulders happily.

"Banjo, you did it! _You did it!_" she cried happily.

He grinned in response, leaning on her affectionately since he still had the last working B.R.Y.A.N. in his paws. But then he looked ahead to see Gruntilda retreat back into the Hag 1 and try once again to get it moving. His face hardening, he politely brushed Kyra off.

"Tell your tribe to surround the Hag 1," he said in a determined way, hefting the B.R.Y.A.N. in his arms. "There's no way we're letting Grunty get away!"

Kyra nodded as he rushed off towards the digger. With the send of a spirit-call, she got everyone to surround the monstrous mud muncher in angry protest. Grunty popped out again and looked past the large drill down at the many angry bears below her. She sneered spitefully.

"You think you all can stop me? HA!" she taunted to hide her fear and knowledge of defeat. "I'll run you all down if I have to! You'll never take me ali!"

But she turned to looked straight into the thin barrel of the last B.R.Y.A.N., and at the other end was her arch-rival, giving her a determined scowl.

"Give up, Grunty. It's over."

Grunty glanced frantically between both Banjo and the tribe below them. The game was up. With an irritated and spiteful growl, she reluctantly raised her arms in defeat.

Kazooie let out a cheer. "Alright!"

A/N: YAY!

Banjo and Kazooie: GO US:D

I took out Jamjars cause he's annoying. Anyways, next chapter will be an exciting plot twist! Betcha you all can't wait!

Kazooie: I can.

Banjo: Oh, hush, Kazooie!

Review:)


	12. A Forgotten Past

A/N: WOOT! PLOT TWIST TIME!

Banjo: OH JOY!

Kazooie: YAYNESS!

HERE IT IS! …Oops, left the Caps Lock on. XD

* * *

_Now is when everything is told._

_A past I never knew I had._

_A person I never knew I was._

_Everything was revealed to me…_

_And somehow it hurt more than the other lies did._

_

* * *

_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 12: A Forgotten Past

In their large, spiritual village, the people gathered near the center, where a great event was occurring in the Sacred Circle of the Moon.

This spiritual gathering place was a large stone circle embedded in the ground, rising only a few inches off the soil. On top were careful carvings of an ancient language and strange symbols going around in a circle. In the center was a large amethyst stone partly-submerged in the rock, the etching of a crescent moon on it.

Banjo stood atop this pillar alongside his friends, looking around the village slowly and carefully. The people, the huts, the forests all looked so incredibly familiar, and it frustrated Banjo slightly that he couldn't seem to quite remember what it all meant.

The Elder, his daughter, and other young members of the tribe stepped onto the Sacred Circle. The tribe all watched in respectful silence as the old leader looked at each of the newcomers with warm sapphire eyes.

"You, young ones," he began in a god-like voice. "Have done a great deed for us all; fiercely resisting the attack of a spiteful witch and uniting our tribe to revive our sacred home. We are all eternally grateful for your benevolence and courage in our time of need."

From either side of him, the younger Amethystians brought out leather rope necklaces, each with an amethyst crystals hanging at the end.

"Please accept these humble gifts as a token of everlasting gratitude," the Elder explained as they hung the necklaces around the heroes' necks.

"Ooh, pretty…" Tooty looked at it dreamily.

Mumbo was slightly shocked when he looked down at his. "Mumbo's glows!"

"Wumba's too!"

The Elder smiled. "They react to shaman magic."

"Ooh…"

Kyra stood in front of Banjo with a necklace in hand. Both smiled affectionately as Banjo politely bowed his head and Kyra hung the necklace around his scruffy neck. He looked back up at her, but his face fell when he saw the shocked look on her face as she looked downwards. Banjo himself looked down to find his crystal glowing in the same manner as Mumbo's and Wumba's.

A hush fell upon everyone at this. Banjo was left in most shock. Hastily, Kyra brought her father over to him.

"Father! He is no shaman, but his crystal…"

"It glows!" The Elder finished, equally shocked. The old one looked over Banjo carefully, then found himself staring into the young bear's eyes.

"Eyes of aquamarine…" the Elder said in a hushed voice, putting an old arthritic paw on the side of Banjo's face. "Could it be… Little Talmar…?"

_There's that name again,_ Banjo thought fleetingly. _What does it mean? Who's Talmar…?_

"Listen to me closely, cub," the Elder said to him softly. "Focus and answer me if you can." And with that, he placed his fingertips on Banjo's brow, passing into a trance.

Everyone watched anxiously. The Amethystians knew very well what was happening, whereas the Isle o' Hags residents looked on in confusion, not knowing what would happen next. What did the Elder want out of Banjo?

"… Ak aj juat," he said in an ancient, forgotten language. "Kxut kxo tojkadot edo neict edo tuo uffouh udt julo kxo kharo. Uho oei kxaj tojkadot edo?"

Banjo strained slightly, then answered, "A um. A um kxo tojkadot edo."

A sudden shock swept the Amethystians at this, and Banjo's friends became extremely confused.

"Wait, what'd he say?" Kazooie asked in utter confusion. She looked up at Kyra. "What's he say, Kyra?"

But Kyra was left in utter shock. "He can't be…" she whispered softly to herself.

"What, what can't he be?" Kazooie voice got louder in frustration. "What's everyone fussed about?"

"Shh! Kazooie, listen!" Tooty shushed her quickly.

Banjo opened his eyes, not sure if he had heard himself right. What on earth was the language he was speaking? He looked up to see a joyful look on the Elder's wrinkled face.

"Oh, young cub, I've waited so long to see you again! Why, the last time I looked upon you, you were but a tiny little cub, barely a month into your life! And now…" He looked Banjo up and down. "Look at how much you've grown… Strong arms, a steady mind… Your father would be very proud."

Banjo looked at the Elder un believably. "… I-I-I don't understand…"

The Elder straightened up in slight surprise. "You mean she never told you?"

"Who?"

"Your mother."

Banjo stared pathetically on, becoming extremely bewildered.

"Ah, but of course she didn't. I see…" the Elder mused. "In that case, I shall be the one to tell you. Listen well, young cub…"

Banjo, though frightened to know what this truth was, nodded, and the Elder cleared his throat and began.

"Our tribe has always been one of peace, and most of us do not fight. So in dark times, we had a group of strong, brave warriors called the Nine Protectors who defended our tribe in the darkest of times. Your father was the strongest, the boldest, the purest of them all. And alongside that, he was the most benevolent young bear, always willing to aid all in need.

"One day, a fatal storm destroyed a foreign vessel, and a young bear-your mother- washed up on the shore. Your father then took her in, and they soon fell deeply in love. For years he kept her by his side as the tribe slowly accepted her, and they gave birth to a blissful cub. His tribe name was Talmar, and he was reared to be a Protector in his father's footsteps.

"But then, a tragedy occurred. A vengeful demon had entered our land, out for the blood of the ones who had destroyed his fellow demon spirits. Before we Elders could seal the fiend below the island, he had slain the Nine Protectors, including your father. Though the demon was sealed, his threat was still at large, for he had the power to exert his evil magic outside the barrier. He demanded the blood of all Protectors, including the soon-to-be ones. Terrified, your mother had no choice but to flee the island and protect her cub as long as she could. She started a new life, on a new island, and went to all lengths to protect her cub, including…"

"…changing my name…" Banjo finished softly, not knowing what to think of all this. His thoughts swarmed in a pool of confusion, but he still strived to understand. "S-so that means…"

"You are an Amethystian, and your real tribe name is Talmar. But you are unique, since most Amethystians are born with sapphire eyes, and you inherited your mother's beautiful eyes of aquamarine."

_So that's how he knew it was me…_ Banjo thought fleetingly, still looking pathetically on.

"But your shaman skills you adopted from your father, and the Nine Protectors had strong magic. To protect you, your mother requested we Elders to seal your powers and prevent you from using or discovering them until they were needed. I suppose she never told you?"

Weakly and hopelessly, he shook his head. As the info slowly sank in, his heart sank and his skin became pale. His life as he knew it was all a lie. His true past and origin were kept a secret from him his entire life. Just thinking of this made him sick to his stomach.

Still in shock, he brought a paw to his temple, trying to keep calm. "… I-I don't believe this…"

"It's true, Talmar. You are only Protector left now." He placed a comforting paw on his shoulder. "Welcome home, Talmar."

Slowly, Banjo looked around at the humble people below him and the sacred forests around him. No, this wasn't home! It couldn't be! His mind screamed at him these thoughts, but a deep part of himself was drawn to these people, drawn to the teachings of the Ancient Spirits of Amethystar, when mentally he resisted these attractions fiercely.

He then looked to his friends, his true friends from Isle o' Hags. The people he knew best, the beings he considered his family. He never needed anything else besides them, but now with these new urges to learn these skills of his, he didn't know what he needed anymore.

All of this was way too overwhelming for poor Banjo, and his body and mind couldn't take anymore of it. He swayed a bit, then gently shut his eyes and fell back into Kyra's arms, welcoming the simplicity of unconsciousness.

"Banjo!" his friends cried, rushing to his side.

"Oh, no, is he okay?" Bottles said worriedly.

"He's fainted from shock," Kyra said ruefully, heaving him into her arms. "He needs to rest."

Kyra carried the unconscious Banjo out of the Sacred Circle of the Moon, his friends following. Before following, Kazooie, quite overwhelmed herself by her friend's mysterious past, glanced up silently at the Elder, who shook his head ruefully, whispering under his breath, "The lie which is the truth brings, more pain than the truth which is a lie…"

Kazooie inclined her head, curious as to what the old bear meant. Pondering this over, she followed her friends.

A/N: Quite a plot twist, huh? I surprised you all, didn't I? DIDN'T I?

Kazooie: (sarcastically) You sure surprised me.

Banjo: Talmar?

Yes, deal. And as for the language, no, it's not original, and yes, you Nintendo freaks out there should be able to decipher it if you know the language.

Kazooie: Couldn't make up your own, huh?

Shut up.

Banjo: Talmar?

Yes, Banjo. And here's another B.R.Y.A.N. hint: the R. stands for "Reaping."

Kazooie: So it's "Blaster Reaping Youth something something?"

Yep.

Banjo: …TALMAR?

YES, BANJO, DEAL WITH IT! Ahem… Review people!


	13. Accepting the Truth Within

A/N: DING DING DING! WE HAVE A WINNER!

Banjo: YAY! (throws confetti everywhere)

Kazooie: What's the celebration?

Fairy Red guessed it right! B.R.Y.A.N. stands for… (drumroll)… "Blaster Reaping Youth and Nimbleness!"

Banjo and Kazooie: WOOHOO!

Didya guys like the plot twist? Didya? Do ya want another chapter? Do ya? DO YA?

Readers: YES!

YIKES! (dodges pointy objects) Okay, alright! Here's the chappie! Oh, and Fairy Red, you get… uh… ummmmmm… crap… Well, I'll figure out something… Oh, just read the damn chapter.

* * *

_I was overwhelmed, to say the least._

_How would you feel if you learned a past _

_You never wanted to know?_

_Still, I had to accept it,_

_And with the help of my closest friends,_

_It was that much easier to cope.

* * *

_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 13: Accepting the Truth Within

Slowly, Banjo awakened. Immediate things he noticed were the soft bed he laid in and the bamboo walls around him. Groaning groggily, he blinked the fuzziness from his sight to look upon his closest friends, and suddenly he didn't seem so reluctant in waking up.

"Banjo! You're awake!" Tooty cheered happily, embracing her brother tightly as he sat up. But then she stopped briefly to correct herself. "Um, I mean Talmar…"

"What do you want to be called now?" Bottles asked. "Banjo or Tal…"

"I don't care!" Banjo answered bitterly, becoming frustrated and bewildered once again. Kazooie noticed this immediately, sitting down next to him on the bed.

"Hey, come on, guys," she defeated. "He's going through a lot right now. We all know him as Banjo, and that's what we're gonna stick with."

Silence was their answer, and Banjo faintly smiled at the breegul. "Thanks, Kazooie."

"No prob," Kazooie answered casually. When he lowered his head once more, depressed, she asked, "Hey, you alright?"

Tears of frustration silently rolled down his cheeks as he shook his head. "No, no, I'm not alright. I just found out that I've been lied to my whole life about these powers I never wanted, _how could I be alright after knowing that?_"

Kazooie frowned in pity as Banjo burst into tears, sobbing and holding Tooty close for comfort. The last comment the Elder made before echoed in her mind: _The lie which is the truth brings more pain than the truth which is a lie._

"Why?" he sobbed miserably. "Why did they to me all this time…?"

Mumbo shifted nervously in his chair, then spoke up, "Banjo be dead now if not lied to. Demon kill you 'cause you Protector."

Hearing this, Banjo looked up, staring pathetically on.

"Mumbo right," Wumba agreed. "Elder said mother only protect you from the evil demon. Isle o' Hags big heap safer than Amethystar!"

"Right. She was protecting you because she cared about you," Bottles added. "You're practically the only thing she had left. Think of it that way."

"Yeah, and even telling you about all this would be dangerous," Kazooie also added. "So she was actually doing you a favor if you really think about it."

Banjo thought this over as Tooty gave him a handkerchief to blow his nose. "… I… guess you're right about that…" He took the cloth and cleaned his cheeks before continuing. "But… I never wanted any of this… I never wanted to know…"

"Aw, heck, Banjo, you were gonna find out eventually!" Kazooie exclaimed, getting sounds of agreement from the others.

"Well, yeah, but…" Banjo sighed deeply. "Now that I have these powers, I know things are gonna change back at home, and I don't want them to get in the way of our relationships…"

"Aw, Banjo, your magic won't get in the way…" Tooty tried to comfort him with a hug, and it looked absolutely adorable. "I'll still love you…"

"Yes!" Mumbo sat up cheerfully. "Mumbo happy now! Banjo now shaman like Mumbo!"

"Wumba too!" the shamaness added. "And we can teach you how to use now powers! We shamans too, after all!"

"Yeah, you don't need to worry about that at all, Banjo," Bottles said comfortingly. "We'll accept you no matter what you seem to be."

Banjo looked to each one of his friends, a warm smile spreading across his snout. "Y'know what, you guys are right. I should just accept the past and not let it affect the present and future."

"That's a good idea!" Tooty piped up cheerfully, and the others nodded in agreement.

Once again, Banjo looked to each and every one of his friends. "Thanks, you guys."

"Hey, it's no big deal," Kazooie answered coolly.

"No, I mean for everything," Banjo smiled up at them as they gathered into a closer circle. "You all have always been there for me through thick and thin, even after I betrayed you…"

"Betrayed?"

"Back at Cauldron Keep…"

"Oh, Banjo, let that go!" Bottles waved a careless paw. "It's in the past, and we forgive you. Everyone makes mistakes!"

"Besides…" Kazooie smirked at her partner. "People do crazy things when they're in love."

They giggled as one could clearly see Banjo's face turn pink. Slightly annoyed at first, he soon relaxed and chuckled along with them.

"Alright, but anyways, like I was saying before, I'm really, truly glad you all are always there for me. It means a lot to me, honestly. I don't know where I'd be without you guys…"

"Well, of course we're there for you, Banjo," Bottles grinned. "You're always there for us whenever Grunty rears her ugly head, so it's only fair, right?"

The warm smile on Banjo's face only grew.

"Alright, you know what this calls for? This calls for a group hug!" Kazooie said cheerfully, extending her wings. Everyone laughed in amusement as they all huddled together in a friendly group hug. Banjo felt so much better, having received the support he needed from his friends once again. Even with these new powers, his friends were all he needed.

"…Am I interrupting anything?"

They all turned to the draped doorway of their hut to find Kyra entering slowly, almost hesitantly, as if disturbing a sacred bondage. They all exchanged glances, then shook their heads. Kyra then approached less hesitantly, and they all scooted aside to let her into the group. She sat down next to Banjo and the two found themselves staring into each other's eyes. An unseen force pulled Banjo's paw slowly towards her, grasping her paw tenderly and comfortingly without knowing it.

"…………"

"…Mumbo think we should leave now."

"Right, let's… leave these two alone…"

Quickly and silently, they all left the hut, leaving Banjo and Kyra alone. For once, they had a moment to themselves, and before, Kyra would've greatly treasured this moment. But now that she knew who he really was, she felt as though she was sitting with a legend. Technically, he was to their tribe, as his story and name were common stories passed down to children, but she knew better. She knew him by personal matters, and knew he didn't want to be referred to as an almighty Protector. No, to her, he was a friend, a comrade… and secretly, a lover.

Gently, she cleared her throat and began, "Well… this explains a lot of things…"

"Such as…?"

"Your immunity to negative magic effects… Your ability to harness the power of the amethyst dagger… Your spirit-call ability…"

"I thought you gave me that power."

"I was meaning to tell you before, but never got the chance… When I was inside, I _found_ the ability already inside you, among others. All of them were sealed away, and I was a bit… shocked to find you had all these powers hidden away…"

Banjo inclined his head. "Why didn't you ever tell me…?"

"Oh, Banjo, I never intended on keeping it from you, it's just…" She let out a sigh of perplexity. "Everything that happened afterwards- Kazooie nearly dying, Gruntilda exposing all the lies, saving the island…"

Her frustration stopped when she looked back into those warm eyes of aquamarine, ever forgiving and understanding. He sighed, glancing away. "Yeah, I know how _that_ feels… Everything happening all at once… So much it's overwhelming… And you forget everything else…" he ended with a tinge of sadness.

Noticing this, guilt began to pile on Kyra once again as she was aware of the pain he was going through. Softly, she said, "…Banjo, I'm sorry…"

Banjo pulled his view back up at her puzzlingly. "For what?"

Kyra sighed heavily. "If I hadn't come into your life, none of this would've ever happened to you…"

To Kyra's initial surprise, Banjo softly chuckled in response to this. "And just what ever is so funny?"

"Kyra, you don't need to blame yourself for everything!" he chuckled, giving her a good-natured grin. Realizing how silly she felt, Kyra herself gave out a small chuckle herself. Banjo then grew slightly more serious as he continued.

"This isn't in anyway your fault, Kyra. Nobody expected all this was gonna happen. Besides," A hint of nostalgia entered his eyes again as more memories came back. "In my younger years, when my mother had a new mate and Tooty was born, I always wondered where I really came from. I knew her mate wasn't my real father, even though he treated me like one… When they died, I sort of pushed those questions aside for a while since so much was happening at once…" He looked back up at Kyra, the sadness replacing by an assuring smile. "But now that I had time to think this over, I finally have the answer to those questions. I now understand why I was never told, and now I must learn to accept it and make the best of things."

Kyra smiled warmly. "Quite the optimist, aren't you?"

"I try," he explained in two simple words. Once again, the two found themselves locking eyes. As Kyra's smile turned into a loving one, Banjo felt himself becoming lost in those beautiful sapphire eyes. He barely noticed when she gently placed her arms around his shoulders.

-_Oh, Talmar…-_ she whispered his tribal name in a spirit-call. -_You are the most enchanting being I've ever had the honor of meeting.-_

Banjo smiled affectionately. -_You, too.-_

_-Even after all the lies and deceit…-_

_-I don't care about all that. It doesn't matter. You are, and always will be, my friend.-_

Kyra's heart fluttered at that remark, for that was all she wanted: a friend. Her tribe held her in high regard, but never treated her in the way Banjo did. Banjo was the first ever Amethystian to willingly open up to Kyra and treat her like she was- a normal being. Needless to say, she was spellbound.

Soon, they found their faces getting closer and closer as the attraction grew between them. The bears shut their eyes, awaiting a loving kiss…

"ACK! HELP!"

Startled, the two turned to the doorway to find a figure wrapped up in the drapes and wildly struggling, only to get more wrapped up. Muffled cries and curses came from the highly irritated being.

-_Who is it…-_ Kyra asked.

_-I can guess.-_ Banjo grinned in amusement, standing and approaching the doorway. A light tug, and out fell Kazooie, who landed on the ground with a light thud.

"Got a little tangled up, didn't you?" Banjo chuckled, getting a dark glare in return.

"Ha, ha, very funny," Kazooie muttered, getting up. "Listen, something really bad is going on."

"What is it?" Banjo asked, Kyra moving to his side.

"It's got something to do with the demon."

The bears looked at each other.

"Yeah, and the Elders all wanna see you." She turned and beckoned with her beak. "Come on, I'll lead you guys there."

Suddenly serious, Banjo nodded and took Kyra by the paw, and they both followed Kazooie out into the village. Both bears shared the same concern: what was it about the demon that was so urgent? Had it… escaped…?

A/N: You guys like the chappie? Good! Okay, tell Fairy Red what she won, Kazooie!

Kazooie: What am I, Vanna White?

YES! (snaps her fingers, Kazooie is now wearing a white dress with her mohawk in a fancy bun)

Banjo: O.O (takes a picture)

Kazooie: TT; Fairy Red has won an uber special extra super cool picture, a Nintendo Nut1 exclusive.

Banjo: Wow! She's so lucky!

Yep! It's being sent to her now! Congratulations to you and good try to the rest of you reviewers who guessed! Your reviews really matter, so keep it up! And don't be mad! O.O Just review!


	14. The Return of Talmar

A/N: (is doing homework) Blah… TT;

Banjo: Need any help?

Actually, yeah, I need to review my terms. What's a pronoun?

Banjo: A noun that's lost its amateur status.

TT; Wow, you're a scream, Banjo.

Kazooie: XD Actually, that was pretty funny!

You're right. XD Glad you like the picture, Fairy Red! Here's the chappie!

* * *

_The vengeful demon had returned._

_Only I had the power to stop him._

_With both my friends and even my enemy at my side, I was ready._

_It was time to avenge my father,_

_And save the world while I'm at it._

_

* * *

_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 14: The Return of Talmar

The trio entered the largest hut where about ten elder Amethystians, including the Elder himself, sat on the floor in a large circle, looking as if holding council. The other Isle o' Hags heroes sat apart from the circle near the doorway, eyeing Banjo quietly. Kazooie took her place among them, and the two bears joined the circle. Banjo felt slightly out of place, but pushed these feelings aside and straightened up, ready to listen.

Each elder faced them and gave him a silent nod in greeting. Hesitantly, he nodded in return.

Kyra spoke first. "Father, what was the need to bring us here? What has happened?"

The Elder sighed ruefully. "The witch's attack disturbed the island greatly, and this has angered the demon sealed below the island. We believe that your presence has also been noticed, Talmar, further angering him. His fury will bring destruction to not only Amethystar, but the rest of the world as well, for his dreadful powers will spread rapidly across the seas."

Banjo and Kyra sat in shock as the bad news hit them with full force. Banjo especially, for he suddenly he had a bad feeling that his role as a Protector was going to endanger his life.

"D-does this mean I have to…?"

"We cannot live in fear of the demon any longer," the Elder said sternly, eyeing Banjo levelly. "He must be destroyed, and you are the only one suited for the task, Talmar."

Banjo lightly sighed, then nodded in response. Remembering his resolve from before, he accepted the task without complaint.

"Very well." The Elder and all the others stood. "Now is the time we Elders release your shaman powers at your full disposable. Come with us."

* * *

Later, the tribe had gathered once more around the Sacred Circle of the Moon, awaiting yet another grand event, one they had been waiting for years. The elders surrounded the circular pillar, ready to perform the ritual. The Isle o' Hags residents watched as Banjo stepped atop the pillar and stood on the ancient amethyst stone. He looked at the waiting people below him, feeling slightly uneasy, but stood tall and nodded towards the Elder.

The Elder returned the nod in response, the proclaimed, "Fellow elders! Our last Protector has returned, and now to complete his destined task, we must break the seals we had placed before and awaken his powers to the world!"

And with that, the ritual began. A new incense, known as Sage, filled the air with its distinct scent, crisp as newborn magic. A magical aura radiated from the Circle as the elders began to chant in the ancient language.

"_Kxo tojkadot edo xuj semo…_"

The stone under Banjo's feet lit up, releasing a column of lavender light, enveloping him in its magical glow.

"_…Xaj kujb aj den scouh…_"

Banjo felt the magic take its course, and he gently shut his eyes and let the ritual take over calmly. He became lighter than air, his feet lifting off the ground as the column of light hovered him into the air gently.

The spectators below watched in amazement, mostly his close friends. Tooty held Kazooie close as both witnessed in enchantment, uncertainty, and concern.

"…_Xaj fenohj jxucc ro unubed…_"

At the peak of his flight, Banjo felt an abundant burst of magic power from within. A brilliant flash of pure light erupted, causing the spectators below to shield their eyes.

"…_Udt xo jxucc rosemo u Fhekoskoh edso meho!_"

The light died down, and everyone looked in amazement at his transformation as he slowly floated back down onto solid ground.

Banjo now wore a small, purple, forest-type vest with a high collar, barely covering his shoulders. Under this was a white, baggy, long-sleeved undershirt, cross-wrapped across his lower chest and with large cuffs with jagged purple prints. His yellow shorts were replaced by baggy pants with ripped edges, tied tightly with leather string at his ankles. These were held up by a black leather belt, and his large feet now wore lavender sandals. A leather headband tanned from fur fit under his bangs and just below his ears, the long ties dangling from the loose knot behind. His amethyst crystal necklace glittered as it hung from his neck.

A great hush followed as they all looked at him in either awe or surprise. Banjo looked down at himself, surprised himself, as he was not used to so much clothing on his person, let alone the strange magic feeling he felt inside.

His friends as well looked at him in shock, Kazooie especially. Never had she imagined her best friend, someone so innocent, so unique, to be the important, ancient figure she now looked upon. Needless to say, she was shocked.

Finally, the Elder stepped in front of Banjo as the newly-shaman looked up at the old bear uncertainly. The Elder smiled softly in return.

"Your powers have been awakened, Talmar. You are our Protector now, and Protectors are given a special Amethystian weapon."

Out from under his robe, he brought out a short sword made of amethyst stone and placed it in Banjo's paws. Its hilt was dazzled in other precious stones, including emerald, ruby, and quartz. The rest of the hilt and sheath were ornately carved with many fancy symbols and pictographs. Banjo pulled the short sword out of its sheath, and its stone blade reflected the moon's light.

Slowly, Banjo sheathed the sword and strapped it to his belt, then looked back up at the Elder with uncertain eyes of aquamarine.

"You must smite the evil demon with the Amethyst Sword," the Elder explained, acknowledging the hesitant look on the youth's face. "This is your fate, Talmar. You mustn't have any complaints…"

Banjo looked away briefly, then looked back, fear replaced by determination. "I haven't any. I won't fail you, I promise."

The Elder grinned in response. "Very well."

* * *

A little later, they gathered in a quieter part of the village where the eyes of the curious Clan couldn't intrude as they decided how they were to reach the demon's lair beneath the island.

"We need to come to him," the Elder explained. "W won't be able to escape until he destroys this island."

Banjo nodded as he leaned over a tiny spring, glancing into the water at the colorful fish, lost in thought. "So, you're saying we have to dig into the island?"

"Precisely."

"That may be a problem…" Kyra mused, the Isle o' Hags residents nodding in agreement and thought. "None of us are great diggers. It would take days to reach the demon…"

Soon, Banjo looked up in realization, then turned to them all with a smirk. "I have an idea. Send the witch here."

Uncertainly, Kyra stood and left to send out for Gruntilda. Banjo's friends looked at him as if he might be nuts, but they all kept quiet. Minutes later, Kyra came back with about three or four escorts directing a disgruntled Gruntilda forward. As they approached, Banjo got to his feet, ready to perform a strange act of diplomacy.

Gruntilda was lightly pushed forward until she stood in front of Banjo. The witch looked him up and down, snickering. "What kinda get-up is that?"

"Don't test me," Banjo muttered, then regained his composure. "Listen and listen good. We need to get under the island to reach a demon and destroy it. You have the digger machine that can get us there. Get what I'm saying?"

Banjo's friends looked at him as if he was definitely nuts.

Grunty sneered, then cackled. "Fool! What makes you think I'd help you?"

"You want a world to take over?"

Grunty raised a brow.

"If this demon isn't dealt with soon, it will destroy everything." Banjo explained sternly, crossing his arms as he glared up at his enemy. "Without the Hag 1, we won't be able to reach it in time. So?" He brought out a paw to seal the deal. "Temporary truce?"

Grunty looked down at the paw as if it were a rattlesnake ready to strike. Then again, she DID want to take over the world someday…

"Banjo, are you _insane?_" Kazooie whispered harshly. "A team-up with the witch? You can't…!"

"_Shh!_" Banjo quickly shushed her, eyes not wavering from Grunty's fiery pods of orange. He shook his paw urgently. "Well? Is it a deal or not?"

Grunty scowled spitefully, then hissed, "Fine, fuzzhead, you've got yourself a deal." Then slyly, she spit a huge loogie into the palm of her hand and outstretched it, to which Banjo quickly drew back his paw, looking at the dripping hand disgustedly.

"Er, on second thought, forget the handshake," he said quickly.

Disappointed, Grunty wiped the snot off on her dress, then added sharply, "And for the record, I'm still going on and hating your guts!"

"The feeling's mutual, Grunty."

Gruntilda scoffed as she was led out to prepare the Hag 1 for its subterranean journey. Banjo watched her go, shaking his head in amusement.

"Well, that's dealt with." He turned to his friends. "Let's get ready for the…" But he stopped when he saw them beginning to walk away. "Hey, wait, where're you guys going?"

They stopped, facing him hesitantly. "Er, Banjo…" Bottles started. "How do we say it…"

"Banjo has new powers," Mumbo said gloomily. "Only you able to defeat demon. We don't want to get in way…"

Wumba nodded. "We head home, and stay out of way."

A baffled look crossed Banjo's face. "What? No! You can't leave! I need you guys!"

They stopped, not believing what he said. He… needed them…?

As they gathered in a circle, Banjo outstretched his arms around the huddle as far as he could. "I don't care what the Amethystians stay- I can't do this alone. I still need you guys' help and support…" He looked down at his disheartened partner. "Especially you, Kazooie."

She looked up as Banjo knelt down to her height and placed his paws on her small shoulders. "I wouldn't care if I had all the powers in the world. You and I'll always face our foes together, no matter what?"

Kazooie's face instantly brightened as she leaped into his arms in a fierce embrace. To fight alongside her dearest friend in the world was all she all wanted.

Kyra smiled warmly at this scene, and slowly she approached as Banjo stood. He turned to face her, and both locked eyes once more.

"I shall accompany you as well," she said firmly. "For times in which you will need my help and support."

Banjo smiled. "Thank you, Kyra."

Kyra nodded in response, returning the smile. They all turned and faced the Elder, who, to Kyra's surprise, had on a warm smile. "You approve of this, Father?"

"Even a Protector cannot fight alone," the Elder responded. "Nothing can stand against the power of friendship."

They all grinned. Banjo, feeling a tug at his vest, looked down to see Tooty holding his blue backpack. She handed it to him, and he strapped it on, nodding towards Kazooie. Happily, she hopped inside, ready to go. Banjo faced the rest of his friends, flashing them a determined smile.

"Let's show that demon what for!"

A/N: And that's that. If you're confused by the loogie part, in past times, when making agreements, people would spit into the palms of their hands before shaking on the deal.

Kazooie: Ew, weird…

Banjo: How'd you know that?

TT; My homework.

Kazooie: XD

Yeah, laugh it up, Chuckles. Review, people!


	15. The Clash of Hero and Demon

A/N: It's a bird! It's a plane! No! It's an update!

Kazooie: O.O Are you fricken serious?

Banjo: You've been neglecting this fic! (baps me)

OW! (baps him back with parasol)

Banjo: (dizzy)

Besides, I'm catching up with a longer chapter! W00T!

Kazooie: W00T!

Here it is!

* * *

_The battle had come._

_With my friends and the spirits' power at my side,_

_It was time for the spiritual confrontation_

_That I soon wouldn't forget.

* * *

_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 15: The Clash of Hero and Demon

It was time to embark to the center of the island for the final showdown against the demon. The Amethystians watched in silence as their Protector and his comrades climbed into the Hag 1. Grumbling to herself, Gruntilda cranked up the drill and dug into the earth, beginning their subterranean journey to the demon's lair, through the glistening amethyst mines.

The ride there was quiet, except for the occasional chit-chats between bored comrades. Banjo sat in his seat nervously, anxious about the battle ahead. Kyra sat next to him, gazing over his Amethyst Sword in much interest as she turned it over in her paws.

_It's a strong weapon,_- she said through spirit-call to preserve the quiet. -_And it's just your size as well. A short sword: a little over half the length of a normal sword.-_

_-Yeah, I could never lift a normal sword.-_ Banjo's eyes didn't waiver from the ground.

_It can withstand more magical energy than a dagger, and the more noble the warrior wielding it, the more power it absorbs. Plus it's a sharp and well-balanced blade.-_ She handed it back to him. -_The only weapon worthy of an Amethystian Shaman Warrior.-_

Banjo slowly took the sword and sheathed it, the hesitant look on his face quite apparent. Kyra noticed this and took his sweating paw in hers.

_Do not worry, Talmar. You are strong, I know you are. We all know you are. And we all have the up-most confidence in you, and you aren't alone. You were not and never will be alone.-_

Banjo brought his gaze up to meet her eyes, comforted by her words as he smiled softly. -_Thank you… Kyra.-_

Their eyes reminded locked once more for a few more seconds before Banjo felt a movement behind him and a wing droop over his shoulders and gently touch the side of his face.

"Banjo, you okay?" Kazooie asked. "You're so pale…"

"Oh… just a little nervous, that's all," he replied weakly.

"Hey, you gotta be stronger than that, Banjo!" Kazooie exclaimed as quietly as possible. "I mean, this is the freak who killed your father! I expected you to be a lot angrier than this!"

"No, I can't let my anger consume me," Banjo sighed, glancing down at the sword around his hip. "The sword will turn against me like Kyra's dagger did."

"But the sword is different from the dagger," Kyra reasoned. "The sword will absorb your righteous anger and convert it into power."

Hearing this, Banjo lowered his gaze thoughtfully. That's when the digger lurched to an abrupt halt, much to everyone's confusion.

"Huh…? Why'd we stop?" Bottles asked.

Banjo shut his eyes ruefully and let out a soft breath, knowing the time had come. He stood firmly and turned to the door leading to the "cockpit" of the digger. Wordlessly, he pushed it open and approached a disgruntled Gruntilda, the others all following.

"Why'd we stop?" he asked without emotion.

"I don't know," muttered an agitated Grunty. "Maybe it's cause WE'RE THERE!"

Banjo climbed up and opened the top hatch, looking around their new surroundings. They were way below the amethyst mines, inside an underground cavern, huge and dark. Only the flickering flames from two large and suspicious bonfires provided any light. These bonfires flanked an even deeper cave, and unearthly, soft snarls and hisses came from within the endless black den.

"Aw, jeez, it reeks in here!" Kazooie choked. "What on earth just died?"

Fearlessly, Banjo climbed out of the hatch and leaped onto the soil, glancing into the pitch black den of the demon. Kazooie peered over his shoulder into the den fearfully, bracing herself.

As the others began to climb out of the hatch, Banjo turned and motioned with his paw to stop. "All of you stay back! It's me he wants!"

They did as they were told, staying near the Hag 1 as they watched anxiously. Banjo turned back towards the foul den, anger beginning to bubble up within him.

"That's right, demon, I know what you want! And you know why I'm here!" A hiss came from within, and Banjo nearly choked on the suffocating stench pouring out of the den. But he continued nonetheless. "Kazooie's right- you STINK of death! Savoring the Nine Protectors you slaughtered… Yet you're not satisfied, are you? You want me too, don't you? _DON'T YOU?_"

"Er… B-B-Banjo…" Kazooie stuttered fearfully as Banjo became angrier and angrier by the second.

Banjo picked up a stone and furiously chucked it inside, obviously hitting the demon as its hisses became louder and more threatening. "COME ON OUT! YOU TOOK MY FATHER, NOW TRY AND TAKE **ME!**"

Kazooie began shaking madly as the hisses became angry snarls that steadily got closer…

Banjo shook an angry fist. "_DON'T THINK, JUST COME OUT, BLOODSUCKER! I'M WAITING!_" He froze in horror. "**_I...!_**"

And that's when it decided to come out, leaping out of the shadows with an unearthly roar that rattled against their eardrums. Screaming in terror, the two dodged the nightmarish creature, and Banjo drew his sword, glaring hatefully as it came fully into the light.

A monstrous dragon it was, skin as bright as fire, with a serpentine body, big around as a sequoia tree, thrashing and coiling with malevolent power. Cruel talons sharp and strong enough to slice through steel dug into the soil as the chaotic beast let out another fiery roar, baring its glinting, sword-sharp fangs. Its horned frills flared as it leered down at its prey with piercing golden eyes. Banjo returned the glare, beginning to tremble violently in both contained fury and utter terror, as the golden orbs were like a doorway into its twisted, blood-crazed mind ablaze with the joy of slaughter.

The others watching hid behind the Hag 1 in horror. Kyra witnessed in terror as Tooty tightly and fearfully held her at the waist.

Once again, Banjo rolled out of the way as the Demon snapped viciously at them. "Kazooie! Flight Mode! _NOW!_" he ordered urgently.

Kazooie, though still shaken, outstretched her wings and with a few flaps, got her and her bear partner up into the air. There was plenty of flying space in this enormous cavern; after all, it had to fit the hideous, humungous Demon.

And thus the battle began. The duo was like an annoying fly to the Demon, but a strong, stinging one, for whenever Banjo swung the Amethyst Sword, a magical blast of purple light slammed into the Demon's skin. However, its scales were tougher than diamonds, as the blasts had no effect on it, and it countered with a swing of its claws or a snap of its jaws. Banjo countered with a defensive swing of the sword, having enough power to knock the Demon back again. But as the battle progressed, the Demon did not remain oblivious to its foe's fighting style, as the spectators below realized.

"The Demon's too fast!" Bottles gasped. "Banjo's wide open for attack!"

And that's when the Demon swung a claw, then the other, completely catching Banjo off guard. Its brute strength sent him into the wall painfully, and he fell down to the ground with a thud. As Kazooie turned him over, she gasped as she found three large gash marks across his chest and a weakening look on his face as the crimson blood flowed freely from the deadly wounds.

"**_BANJO!_**" everyone cried, rushing to his side. Except for Gruntilda, of course, who sat on the edge of the hatch, looking back and forth between the huddled group and the recovering Demon.

"He's heavily injured," Bottles explained frantically. "The wounds won't close up before he bleeds to death!"

Everyone gasped in horror. An incredibly frightened Tooty was turned away by Kazooie so the young bear couldn't see her brother dying, but the breegul found she couldn't look away from her dying friend, beginning to pray.

Somehow, someway, for some stupid reason, Gruntilda felt angered by her archrival's condition. She scowled up at the Demon viciously as it began to advance on the huddled group.

"Ohhhhhhh, nooo…" the witch growled dangerously. "Getting rid of the bear is MY job, and YOU AIN'T TAKING IT, YOU FREAK OF NATURE!" With that, she climbed into the Hag 1 and confronted the Demon with the equally brutish strength of her monstrous mechanical mud muncher.

During any other time, the others would've been in shock to see Gruntilda fighting on their side for once. But now, they barely noticed as they kept their attention on their dying friend.

"There _is_ a way to save him," Kyra said sternly, looking to each one. "Remember what Father said? If we can offer our support and power to his sword, he can use the last of his power left to heal himself!"

They all looked at her, then down at the sword in Banjo's limp paw, then back up at her.

"I'm sure it'll work, as long as he uses his power to carry out the healing!"

As hope began to rise again, Kazooie quickly nodded. "Let's give it a try."

Of course, Banjo could not hear any of these voices as his senses began to slowly fade. His head slumped to one side, eyes half open, dilating as darkness began to creep at the edges of his vision. He could no longer hear anything, and everything seemed to move at half its normal pace.

Darkness consumed him, or had he simply closed his eyes? It didn't matter to him anymore… He prepared to let go, when suddenly…

_Why are you giving in, Talmar…?_

_I can't do this… I'm not strong enough…_

_But Talmar, you are strong. Your friends believe in you. The Amethystians believe in you. I believe in you… my son…_

_F-F-Father…?_

_Look around you, Talmar._ He obeyed the voice and forced his eyes open, a vision of his dearest friends appearing above him. Though their mouths were clearly moving, he couldn't hear a sound. All was quiet. _These beings are willingly giving up their power, giving you their support… because they trust you. You cannot leave them behind._

Banjo looked up into their grim but determined faces as they all gathered around in their attempts to save him.

_You promised them and the rest of the tribe that you would put an end to this new threat. Their hopes lie solely on you. I know it is easy to let go, but you can't let your people down. You can't!_

_…But the Demon… He's too strong…_

_He draws strength from your fears and anger. Only when you clear your mind of blind fury and hopelessness, will you discover for yourself a way to destroy him._

_…Father…_

_Talmar, you must promise me… that you will live. Take your sword's hilt and accept the opportunity to live, then defeat the Demon in my place. Do not be afraid to use the powers given to you… I beseech you, my son… Don't give in…_

"I promise, Father, I won't let you down…" Banjo muttered voicelessly as his paw took a solid grip on the weapon and he offered the last of his energy left.

"Look, it's working!" Kyra cried as the blade began to glow. They all watched and offered all their support as the sword's glow enveloped his injured torso. As the light died down, their faces brightened when they found the wounds had disappeared and Banjo giving then a weak smile.

"It worked! He's alive! _Alive!_" His beloved group of friends cheered happily as Tooty embraced him tightly, and Kazooie did the same, but even tighter. For a minute there, she thought she was about to lose her best friend.

Banjo willingly embraced his two loving girls, glad for their joy. Seeing the happiness clearly on their faces, he felt stupid for wanting to let go and leave them to grieve. He had not only his promise to live for, but also Tooty and Kazooie as well.

This moment of joy was interrupted when a heavy crash rocked the cavern. They all turned to see the Hag 1 hit the wall and tip over from an attack of the Demon.

"ARGH! YOU JERK! YOU DID THAT ON _PURPOSE!_" Gruntilda bellowed in rage.

Ignoring Grunty's predicament, Banjo looked up at the Demon, pushing aside thought of fear and anger. And then it struck him; the outside skin was impenetrable, but not the inside…

"Kazooie!" he exclaimed urgently. "Get back in Flight Mode! I have an idea!"

Hastily, Kazooie got back in the backpack and lifted him off the ground again. As the Demon recovered, it let out another fiery roar as they hovered in front of its snout, nearly blown away by the force of its toxic breath. Then Banjo raised his sword and swung a killer arc, striking the beast's golden eyes swiftly. It screeched it pain, drawing back to recover. It was now wide open.

"Kazooie! Beak Bomb Attack, into the mouth!" Banjo ordered. "_Hurry!_"

"_WHAT?_" Kazooie cried. "Are you _insane?_"

"_Trust me!_"

Kazooie braced herself, then with a shrill cry, sent herself and partner like a missile into the wide open mouth of the Demon and into the salivary throat. In response to this, it snapped its jaw shut and swallowed its prey whole in satisfaction.

The spectators below looked up in horror, rooted to the ground in cold fear. They were not be able to believe that they had just witnessed Banjo and Kazooie get eaten whole by the hideous, nightmarish monster.

Their horror turned to fear as the Demon turned its attention toward them, leering down at its new prey. It coiled up, ready to strike, but just as the group huddled together and just before it lunged, a bright light erupted under its fiery skin, around the stomach area. Everything stopped, even the Demon, whose instinct knew something was horribly wrong.

The frightened group below looked closely at the covered light, which was so bright that they could see the silhouette of the floating Banjo and Kazooie. They witnessed as Kazooie ducked into the backpack and Banjo raised the sword high above his head, readying for a final blow…

"_TAKE COVER!_" Bottles shouted frantically, and they all ducked behind the toppled Hag 1. They heard the Demon screech one last time, and a flash of light that would put the sun to shame followed, along with a massive explosion of magical power. Several splatters of gooey, purple fluids from within the Demon planted themselves everywhere. The Hag 1 provided as a good shield against the flood of innards, but they still got splashed with the few globs of goo that had been propelled over the digger from the blast. An incredibly foul and suffocating stink filled the cavern as the purple goop completely covered the soil walls.

Slowly, they crept out from behind the Hag 1 and looked at the aftermath of the last spell. No traces of the Demon (besides the goop) were left in sight. The place was suddenly quiet, and the evil aura felt by the magic-people had vanished. Banjo, fur and clothes drenched in purple fluids, hovered in the center, breathing hard and fixed in a bent-over position and grasping the sword's hilt in both paws at the end of his final blow. Slowly, Kazooie came out of the backpack, and he straightened up, looking exhausted. Finally, he groaned and dropped out of the air like a stone, landing on the ground once more with a thud. They all rushed to his side, looking him over for any abnormalities.

"I-is he okay?" Tooty asked, slightly scared.

"Banjo fine," Mumbo assured. "Just worn out; last spell very powerful!"

Kyra knew this as well, kneeling by the fallen Banjo and holding the back of his head up to look at the seemingly unconscious shaman-warrior ruefully.

Banjo was actually teetering on the edge of consciousness, his body sore and his mind tired. But he felt content, knowing that his task had been completed. The Demon was gone.

_Well done, my son,_ his father's voice echoed in his mind. _I knew I could believe in you. I'm so proud of you…_

_Thank you… Father…_ he responded, a smile crossing his lips dreamily.

_-Talmar… Talmar, are you okay?-_ He could hear Kyra call out to him. Slowly opening his eyes, he locked eyes with the lovely Kyra once more. Though he was drenched in purple slime, though he smelled like a dead animal, though his whole body racked with pain, he smiled weakly.

_-Couldn't be better.-_

A/N: W00T! Yeah, this is why the rating went up.

Kazooie: But it's just a little blood…

I'm very cautious.

Kazooie: So I see.

Banjo: One more chapter, right?

Yes! YAY! Review, people!


	16. The End of All Things

A/N: Yay! It's the last chapter!

Banjo: WOO!

Kazooie: Sweet!

Banjo: But… that means it's the last time we'll be here…

Kazooie: Aww… Ah, well.

XD Here it is!

* * *

_So that's the tale,_

_Of love, friendship, and self-discovery._

_What can I say other than how it totally changed my life?_

_I gained self-knowledge and a beloved partner._

_Everything changed… For the better._

_

* * *

_

The Amethyst Shamans: Chapter 16: The End of All Things

As the slightly wrecked Hag 1 emerged from the deep tunnel, the Amethystians Clan greeted their heroes gratefully, knowing that thanks to them, the threat of the Demon was gone. They no longer had to live in fear.

A few days passed as Banjo recovered physically and mentally. And now as his friends prepared a boat, he stood with the tribe on the beach to say his goodbyes.

"You… are leaving?" The Elder looked shocked.

Banjo nodded solemnly. "I have to. I need to return home with my friends."

"But you are home, dear Talmar!"

Banjo gave him a sad smile, shaking his head. "No, Spiral Mountain has always been my home." He turned to look at his friends as they readied the small boat to travel home in. "There are people there who need me, and I can't abandon them after so long."

The Elder nodded in defeat. "Very well. I understand. Just remember, you are our Protector, and you must…"

"…protect the tribe, I know." He bowed respectively. "I will return whenever danger threatens the tribe once more, I promise."

The Elder bowed as well. "You will always be welcomed with open arms. May the Spirits continue to guide you, young Talmar."

Banjo smiled in return, grasping his old paw and bowing his head as an Amethystian gesture used in departure. He slowly stepped back and allowed Kyra to speak with her father. She lowered her gaze sadly.

"Father, this will be difficult to say…"

"Do not tell me you are leaving as w…" But then he looked down and smiled, seeing the young bears' paws entwined quite comfortably. They smiled up at him, standing side by side.

"I see…" The Elder nodded, looking up at Kyra. "You have chosen a well-suited mate, dear cub. Just promise me that you shall always remember where you came from, and that the spirits are always there for you."

Kyra smiled, close to tears. "I will, Father. I promise." She fiercely embraced him for the last time as their minds touched in unison. -_May the Spirits Guide Us.-_

Finally, they both drew away. Kyra faced Banjo, and once more their eyes locked. Her father was right- Kyra had found her loving mate at long last. And not only were they bound by heart, but by spirit as well. Both could feel it deeply.

Without realizing it, their faces came closer once more. They gently closed their eyes…

…And their lips met. Time stood still.

The Isle o' Hags heroes looked upon them in shock at first, then in gladness at their friend's happiness, especially Kazooie. She had tried to hide it before, but the satisfaction and contentment clearly showed on her feathery face.

Finally drawing away, the lovers looked upon each other with affectionate eyes. They both felt the inner joy they had never experienced before. The inner joy- of true love.

"Aw, how precious…"

Everyone turned to Gruntilda, who stood by her repaired digger with her arms crossed.

Kazooie rolled her eyes. _Way to spoil the moment, Grunty._

Banjo regarded her wily, turning away from Kyra and approaching the smelly witch casually. "So, Grunty…" he began. "I heard you helped in the effort of destroying the Demon while I was injured."

Grunty did a double-take, having being caught off guard, and stared down at her smirking archrival. "Well… yeah… I couldn't let you die in the hands of that freak; that's my job," she hastily and proudly added.

"Psh, yeah, like _that'll_ ever happen!" he scoffed jokingly, but his face instantly fell when he looked up at a seething Grunty.

"Listen up, fuzzball!" She jabbed a warty finger into his chest. "You may have fancy-pants magic skills now, but this is for from over! I'll be back to beat you down so hard you'll wish you were never born!"

Banjo glanced down at her finger, then back at her, regaining his sly composure. "Well, good luck with that, Grunty."

She scowled and turned away, climbing into the Hag 1. "You ain't seen the last of me yet! I'll be back!" And with that, the Hag 1 rolled into the ocean water, disappearing beneath the waves.

Kyra stood at Banjo's side, giving him a smile. "Kazooie has rubbed off on you, hasn't she?"

Banjo chuckled in response as he looked to a grinning Kazooie. Kyra was right; her smart-talking had indeed rubbed off on him.

Kyra gazed out into the ocean. "You think she'll keep her promise this time?"

"Yep," Banjo chuckled. "That's one thing you can always trust about her- she'll always be coming back for more!"

Kyra giggled herself.

"Banjo! Boat is ready!" Wumba called out.

In minutes, they sailed off for home. The Amethystian Clan watched them go in silent respect, a silent prayer echoing through the Elder's ancient mind.

_Farewell, destined one and dear cub. May the Spirits keep careful watch over you._

_

* * *

_

The first day of summer was particularly warm, but thankfully not too hot as the residents enjoyed a sunny afternoon in Spiral Mountain. Tooty and Kazooie played their adventuring games as usual, now pretending they had great powers like the Amethystians. Banjo laid in a fold-up chair in front of the house, enjoying the well-deserved rest he so sorely needed. Sitting beside him were Bottles and Jamjars as they chatted about random things.

"So, Banjo," Bottles started, looking him over. "Ever planning on switching back to your old yellow shorts anytime soon?"

"Nah. I'm liking the change in my attire. Looks better, y'know?"

"I agree," Jamjars commented. "Makes you look more… rugged."

Banjo stared at the mole sergeant. "Uh, on second thought…" He and Bottles started laughing jokingly. "It's a joke, Jamjars, lighten up!"

_Talmar…-_

Banjo looked up to find Kyra approaching. He smiled and stood.

"Hey, Kyra," he greeted. They exchanged a brief kiss, then, "So?"

"I set up the lessons. We'll be meeting in Mumbo's skull on Monday for your first lesson in shaman magic."

"Great, thanks for taking care of that, Kyra."

Kyra nodded in response, then a couple of young voices called out to her. "Kyra, come here!"

"We wanna show you something!"

Kyra turned to face the excited Tooty and Kazooie and smiled. "Well, I'd better see what they want, or else risk Kazooie's wrath!"

Banjo chuckled lightly as Kyra approached them. He watched her silently, a soft smile on his face.

"She sure is fitting in well, isn't she?" Bottles commented.

"Yep," Banjo responded simply, looking over her fondly as she played with the two. After quite some time and thought, Banjo turned to Bottles, an introspective look on his furry face. "…Hey, Bottles, I'm going inside for a little bit. Try not to disturb me for a bit, okay?"

The mole looked up at the bear puzzled, then realizing what he meant, nodded. As Banjo walked inside and gently shut the door behind him, Jamjars looked cluelessly at his brother.

"Hey, what's he doing in there?"

"Don't worry about it. He just needs some spiritual rest, that's all."

Jamjars cocked his head to one side, not understanding what on earth Bottles meant. Annoyed, he turned away. "Whatever."

As Banjo stepped inside his beloved home, he felt content with the silence and solitude its walls brought. Slowly, he pushed the furniture out of the center of the room, giving him plenty of room on the floor to sit.

Carefully, as instructed by Kyra before, he lit a couple incense, letting the lavender smoke fill the house with its lovely fragrance. He brought out his CD player and Amethyst Sword, finally settling on the floor in crossed-legged position and placing the headphones on his ears and the sword on the floor in front of him. Pressing PLAY and concentrating on the magic weapon's power, he gently shut his eyes and passed once more into blissful oblivion…

_My name is Talmar._

_But you can call me Banjo._

_Most still do._

_I now know of my mysterious past._

_I don't know what the future holds for me yet,_

_But I'll let the Spirits decide that._

_I believe in myself._

_I believe in the power of friendship._

_I believe in the Ancient Spirits._

_But most of all, I believe in the magic_

_Of the Amethyst Shamans._

THE END

* * *

A/N: YAY! THE END AT LAST!

Banjo: Aww… I'm so sad…

Kazooie: Hey, come on, Banjo! Let's go invade another fic!

Banjo: Yeah! Let's go! (they run away to find another fic)

See ya! Okay, this time, for SURE I'll got back to ROTHOT! Promise!... Well, I might submit another chapter to Brother Squadron first… But ROTHOT will soon be active once more! Yay! Review, please!


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